This is just tea but, men can cling onto masculinity all they want but what actually is masculinity?
That can mean different things to different people. some of it is real, meaning based on biology, while some of it is society and socialization. and some of the stereo-types are exaggerations of the truth. Women are more emotional, but men are more emotional than they appear because its less socially acceptable for them to act too emotional. It was probably noticed long ago in ancient times that women are generally more emotional and so the public image of femininity formed based on that reality. once that trait became assigned to it then it became less socially acceptable for men because humans love to categorize everything and put everything into a box. When someone is "in between" in any way of , it becomes disturbing to others because they have more difficulty categorizing that person which doesn't fit into their normalized perception. They don't feel like having to go and get another box or changing their belief system. This is why gay and trans people have faced so much trouble. and also why most men are reluctant to give up their testosterone for hair.
It's just bizarre that many guys just want to cling onto a social perspective to make themselves feel validated. Some men don't even like using basic skincare routines because it lessens their false perspective of masculinity. Some men are against using makeup, even basic makeup just to achieve a refined look, because they feel like it lessens their masculinity and it might make others think that they're gay. That's just called pure insecurity. They would even put other men down for using it, because I guess it makes them feel better. Recently, British media have been putting down people like James Charles because he doesn't follow the 'rules' of masculinity, and it's honestly so stupid!
Recently, Chanel bought out a makeup line which is made for men. It's literally just an overpriced BB cream, eyebrow pencil and lip balm (a $38 lip-balm... A $40 eyebrow pencil, WTF!). But men will buy it because it says that it's made for men, but in reality it's just overpriced items which insecure men will purchase because it says it's made for men.
It is extremely stupid that If men show that we deeply care about hairloss we are often told, "its just hair" or criticized that we are being vain. And it pisses me off that women put on make-up, fake eyelashes, get peach fuzzed waxed, shave their legs, etc.. and I'm vain because I care about A PART OF MY BODY WHICH IS LITERALLY f*****g DYING!!!!!
About Makeup, here's my honest opinion. A little bit could help accentuate natural features and I guess I can respect the artistic skill required but even on women I can't help but be bothered by that its fake., what I don't understand is, how can I enjoy an illusion knowing it is one? this is why I wouldn't get a hair transplant., If you want longer eyelashes and put on fake ones that is cheating in my mind. but actually growing longer lashes by using minoxidil, Lanoprost, biotin, etc. is not cheating. Of course, if make up interests you I don't care what you or other men do. but I can't help but think this way. . But i do agree with you that its so stupid for a man interested in makeup to buy the overpriced stuff just because it says for men on it.. They have gyno hiding shirts for men which are basically like a longer version of a sports bra. It doesn't disturbed me as a man wearing a sports bra to hide gyno or keep the boobs from getting hurt while running too fast cause its literally just a piece of fabric.
There really isn't anything biological that makes women in particular want to wear make up or dresses. that's just culture. Scottish men can wear kilts while still being considered masculine because its not considered unmasculine in that culture. and why the hell is pink considered feminine.. ITS A COLOR. How does a color objectively have anything to do with gender? I doubt that women are biologically programmed to choose pink. They are conditioned that way. Did God, or the Universe decide to assign the color pink to females. no, society arbitrarily did.
What pisses me off the most is that men are shamed for caring about vanity in any way other than muscles.. In Asia I often see collagen drinks and they always have some pink or flowery designed. In China, I often saw so many women keeping the sun off of them by using umbrellas even though its not raining but I never saw a man do that.. And anytime there are anti-aging serums by Olay or whatever company. They are always marketed toward women!!! If something is scientifically shown to be good for skin, Why would anybody of any gender not put it on?!! Am I as a man just supposed to not give a sh*t about getting wrinkles or going bald?!? makes no f*****g sense at all.
because they feel like it lessens their masculinity and it might make others think that they're gay.
Very true, being too feminine is associated with being gay. Some people even use the word interchangeably. That would probably make gay men who are not in the closet more comfortable doing sh*t like wearing make-up like you said and etc. which in turn reinforces the stereotype.
And guys often make fun of other guys by calling them gay. But in reality the only thing that makes any man gay is liking guys while not liking girls.
From what I've seen, testosterone makes people age hideously with leathered-looking skin by the time they're 40. But, if that fulfils their insecurities, I guess it's alright!
I notice this more and more. For some reason, men believe that as men they are obligated to like testosterone.. It almost seems contradicting not to.. That ego, that perceived sense of what we are and how we are supposed to behave trumps over everything.. normality is scary. Parents disown their own children for not adhering to it, humans have killed each other and done unspeakable acts of cruelty in the name of normality, embarrassment is one the strongest motivators.
nobody should try to be anything. and become so attached to labels that they are inflexible to anything else and loose all common sense. It is wrong to let our youth be destroyed by anything.