Journalist Caitlin Moran recently tweeted the following:

“I feel like every day now, I read/hear something saying “We don’t talk about what’s POSITIVE about masculinity; what’s GOOD about men and boys.” So: what IS the best stuff about boys, and men? Honest, celebratory question.”

What followed was a collection of replies acknowledging and celebrating various traits seen typically as ‘male’, including certain activities, such as knowing about sports or cars, or a desire to do DIY type work, and characteristics such as physical strength, no-nonsense attitudes and a ‘less complicated’ style of friendship between men.

Whilst I condone Moran’s efforts to turn recent discussions surrounding masculinity on their head and frame it in a positive light, to me the the responses offered and discussion that followed felt somewhat stifling. I am biologically male and identify as male, but do not feel like I personally adhere to most of these stereotypes. I am not physically strong, I know very little about cars and sports, and find there be just as much nuance and drama in male-male friendships as there is in friendships between other genders. 

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