This comment is from Larry on the post Why I Believe Men Belong in the Feminist Movement
OK, I’m busted. I’m 71 years old and a grandfather. My son and daughter keep reminding me that things are changing. And when I was in a men’s group in 1972 (we did it because our wives were all out in their “consciousness-raising” groups but it never worked well), I distinctly remember feeling pretty edgy when we would hug each other. It was rare for men to hug in public at that time. Obviously that has hugely changed, as has the degree of emotionality allowed us. My kids are right as usual.
But here’s my question: is the change really all that broad in the culture or is it predominantly among liberal, white, college-educated men?
And a second question: if society actually does allow, or encourage us to express our emotions more broadly, will (or should) we ever show the same range and quality of emotionality in public as women? We are, after all, a different sex, regardless of how you want to define gender. And that makes a difference. The question is what kind of difference?
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photo: carbonnyc / flickr
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“The Times they are a changin'” Bob Dylan (rare demo) footage of Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Brian Haw, Bloody Sunday, Iraq war, Ohio Shooting,Francesco Lorusso,Ian Palach & Prague Soviet Invasion, Gerry Conlon & more…performed by Marco Magnani.
www.myspace.com/marcomagnanisongs
I met some Italian men in NYC who hug and kiss each other. They are good looking masculine men! It was hella sexy! So depends on the culture too don’t forget.