Poll: The 'Real' Man Debate

[Dense_Electric]

A real man is, by definition, someone who is biologically male.

As a social construct, there is no such thing. It's something invented by judgmental people to give them some arbitrary standard to judge other people against and therefor make themselves feel superior. A "real" man, if that were a thing, is someone who does what he wants regarding the things you mentioned. If other people don't like it, that's their problem.

 

[Phasmal]

Real men don't care about what makes them real men because they are secure.

That's why I don't buy `emasculation`.
If you are secure in yourself you could walk down the street in a tutu and still feel like a man.
Obviously thats a bit extreme of an example, but whether you are a man or not is not decided by outside factors.

 

[Mugen]

No man can comfortably wear skinny fitting jeans.

It's just not possible

oops. Sorry to turn your universe on its head, just take a moment and ponder again the things that are possible and not.

'Cos me AND my boys are comfortable and snug up in these skinny mutha's.

 

[flarty]

REAL MEN DO WHAT THEY WANT WITHOUT GIVING A FUCK WHAT ANYONE ELSE THINKS. LIKE TYPING ENTIRELY IN CAPS ON A FORUM.

No man can comfortably wear skinny fitting jeans.

It's just not possible

oops. Sorry to turn your universe on its head, just take a moment and ponder again the things that are possible and not.

'Cos me AND my boys are comfortable and snug up in these skinny mutha's.

Maybe Daystar is too well endowed to wear skinny fit jeans, i know i am ;P

Also why are you and your boys sharing one pair of skinny fit "muthas"

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

I think there's something to it, yeah, but traditionally it's a bit overboard. People being too vain irks me, but I'll admit that feeling good about your appearance does make you feel more confident. I do care about what I wear, although it's mostly band shirts and lumberjack shirts, but I don't understand people who spend an hour in the morning getting themselves looking right.

I wouldn't say there's anything wrong with your appearance. If you're spending hours every morning shaving and doing your eyeliner then possibly, I don't think it's good to care that much about how you look. Being a real man is supposed to be about having balls, if you're still going to look the way you want and still take shit for it, that takes some balls.

 

[Daverson]

A real man doesn't need to debate over how a "real man" should dress. Real men dress how they like and take no shit from anyone who has "issues" with it.

 

[viranimus]

Things are things for a reason.


And on the body hair thing... I hope you REALLY enjoy doing that and never go senile, because after working in the EMS field and toting old retired gents who used to do that for swimming or body building... when they get up in their 60s and cant shave any more... they look like Chia Grampas.

Its not cure, and they smell beyond horrendously foul... and thats compared with how bad most old men smell to begin with.

 

[Nantucket_v1legacy]

A real man should be natural, hairy and not care for numerous facial products.
Of course all men SHOULD spray under their hairy arms because there is nothing more overpowering than a man's body-odour... but other than that men are men! Huh!

 

[The_Echo]

People can do whatever they want in regards to their looks. Just as long as they stay hygienic.

Personally, I don't really do too much. I shave my face, and make sure my hair looks good. But that's about it.

 

[GameChanger]

To be honest, I envy you for not giving a shit about shaving your chest hair. Chest hair is annoying as fuck.

So, there's this:

A real man doesn't need to debate over how a "real man" should dress. Real men dress how they like and take no shit from anyone who has "issues" with it.

 

[JdaS]

That's just a bunch of old, outdated alpha macho concepts. Your mom is the one with a problem (no offense).

You're free to shave, dye, straighten, curl, tattoo, pierce and do whatever the fuck you want to your own body. How much of a man you are depends on your actions.

 

[Flizzick]

What is a real man?

A miserable little pile of secrets.

*castlevaniahighfive*

Every man is a real man. Never heard of no fake men running around.

I don't know, that Rosie O'Donnell character appears to fit the bill...

 

[chinangel]

Recently I have been in a debate with family and friends over how men should/shouldn't act/dress. This mainly started with my family when I started dying/straitening my hair and focusing more on my appearance. Now the official debate started when my mom found out (through conversations) I wore eyeliner and shaved most of my body hair. She started saying how 'real' men shouldn't shave and should not wear make-up.

So I suppose my question is, do 'real' men care about their looks, or do they not? What are your thoughts and opinions on this?

eh...As a transgirl I'm likely not in much of a position to answer this without being biased. This said, outside of finding men who wear makeup kinda hot, I do think that you're mom is speaking with the voice of a different generation.

This whole 'real man' thing is about as confusing and diluted as 'real woman'. In the end, there is no such thing as a 'real man' or a 'real woman', because in order for one or the other to exist, there must also be a 'fake man' or 'fake woman'.

We are who we are, and our generation is far more accepting of thing that, even 20 years ago, were socially unacceptable.

So I guess the question is more for you: do you think you're a real man or not? And is the opinion of someone who's values stem from the seventies (no offense to your mother intended) really the opinion you're going to worry yourself with. You can't really live with the opinion and values of 30 or 40 years past, you have to live with your generation and your own values and opinions.

That's all hun.

 

[Calibanbutcher]

snip?

This whole 'real man' thing is about as confusing and diluted as 'real woman'. In the end, there is no such thing as a 'real man' or a 'real woman', because in order for one or the other to exist, there must also be a 'fake man' or 'fake woman'.

snip

That's all hun.

I present to you:

Spoiler: Ladies

Spoiler: Gentleman

I rest my case

 

[piinyouri]

What is a real man?

A miserable little pile of secrets.

It's 6 in the morning here and after having been up all night, I laughed harder than I should have.

Bravo.

 

[SpectacularWebHead]

If you want to find out what a real man is, Look back to the days of yore, when men were manly men, and women were also men.

Nah, I think a real man is just someone who has a penis but hasn't had a sex change.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

As my own general rule if it takes a man more than half an hour to go from shower to ready there is a problem. I tend to shave every couple of days, shower daily and use some wax to tidy my hair up.

 

[quantumsoul]

Look, there's no male right of passage in our culture. No one is going to give you your man card.
With so many different views on what a man should be, there's no true source of external validation.

Being a real has to come from within. Are you comfortable with who you are? Do you stay true to your own values? I think those are just a couple ways to be a "real" man in modern society. Not if you wax your balls or not.

Now as to what is culturally acceptable is another story all together, and weather that matters to you or not is not for anyone else to decide.

 

[Vault101]

Well, I am quite the fan of irony

ah...."irony"...

yes...we'll call it that

 

[Vault101]

That's just a bunch of old, outdated alpha macho concepts. Your mom is the one with a problem (no offense).

You're free to shave, dye, straighten, curl, tattoo, pierce and do whatever the fuck you want to your own body. How much of a man you are depends on your actions.

I agree...and also find your avatar in this context pretty funny