It’s nice to think that we live in an enlightened age, one in which traditional notions of masculinity and femininity are more fluid.
But old habits die hard, and many of us still feel societal pressure to act a certain way. Lots of men feel compelled to act in a traditionally masculine way, but are there ‘feminine’ traits that would benefit men?
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As it turns out, lots of people believe there are ‘feminine’ things that more men should do . We’ve compiled some of the best answers right here.
Taking parental leave.
“American male here. I would LOVE for my country to put paid parental leave into law (edit: at the federal level) before I have my first kid. I would gladly take that time off to bond with my future child(ren).”
Stretch it out.
“Do yoga, or stretch at least. A lot of body aches and pains that I’ve seen people my age mention are absolutely alien to me.”
When you’re young and limber, stretching might not seem necessary. But trust me: you’ll get older, stiffer, and less flexible. Stretching is super important.
Having somewhere to put your stuff.
“Having a bag with you whenever you go outside. I don’t even understand why it’s considered a girl thing.”
I don’t know if fanny packs are gone forever or coming back, but either way, it’s nice to have a place to stash your things.
Do work around the house.
“It’s all seen as ‘women’s work’, but men, you really need to know how to do it. Guys, if you help your partner COMPETENTLY in these areas without her having to beg for your help, I promise you won’t regret it.”
Pay attention to eyebrows and other facial hair.
“Clean up eyebrows and facial hair. I’m not saying you have to make them thin as hell, just get rid of all the strays. When some of my male coworkers got their brows done just to “try it out” they looked far better and actually cleaner, like a new beard trim or haircut.”
Exfoliating feet.
“Tried the beauty spa once where they exfoliates my feet. Oh my God. The towel was red when it arrived and left with white flakes all over. They literally used like a wood file on my feet to pull the dead skin off my feet.”
– u/Chinlc
Wear whatever you want.
“You want to wear a skirt with a Carhartt jacket? Do it, who [cares]. Women are really allowed to explore the entire men’s clothing lineup the last few decades. Men should be encouraged to have absolute free reign to any clothing design as well.”
Pee sitting down.
“Sit down when you pee. I started doing it and it was a game changer. When you pee standing up, even if you are perfectly accurate, tiny droplets of pee splash everywhere and build up over time. If you pee sitting down, you hardly ever need to clean the toilet or area around it.”
Try wearing makeup.
“Put on makeup at least once in your life whether it be for a costume, a performance, or just for fun. I did this for a Halloween costume last year and felt hotter than I probably ever have. It was a nice self-esteem boost and also gave me some perspective/insight into the work women have to put in while getting ready, and why they put the work in. I’d be embarrassed to do it for a regular night out, but now I 100% get why many women like to do it.”
Keep a journal.
“I actually kept a journal for a while. I also did it with calligraphy. So I got to practice journaling AND calligraphy. I still suck at both (because I stopped journaling weekly when the pandemic started + never took actual calligraphy lessons), but I’m sure I’ll get back into it on a more sparse basis later.”
Wear colorful clothing.
“It can be surprisingly hard to find men’s clothing in colors that aren’t either super basic or way over the top. I don’t want another blue shirt, but given the choice between that and chartreuse… guess I’m getting a blue shirt.”
Regulate their emotions.
“Men need to encourage each other to openly express emotions that aren’t anger. It’s ok to cry and admit you’re scared but so many men think it isn’t so it comes out as rage. It’s not ok to scream at someone because you’ve been conditioned not to cry in public.”
Have a relaxing soak in the tub.
“Baths. Take a really nice bath, with a really good craft beer and some bath salts or a bath bomb.
Light a candle, read a book, play in your phone but in a bath with a nice drink.”
Having platonic female friends.
“Many of us do. I’m currently in my second stint with a platonic female room mate. We’re good friends from work who split rent and groceries, that’s it. It’d be great if that wasn’t a deal breaker for 80% of potential romantic partners.”
Smelling nice, not using cheap body spray.
“I hate that we gender TF out of soap. I’m a woman and I like smelling like trees and eucalyptus. Let women smell like trees and men smell like dessert.”
Despite what the ads might tell us, no one goes wild for the scent of Axe body spray.
Learning to sew.
“Sewing basics. My boyfriend helped finish my Halloween costume for me while I was at work and it saved us so much time that we actually made it to the party on time :)”
This one is huge! Sewing might not seem important, but it sure becomes a priority if you have a hole or rip to mend.
Filing nails.
“I’ve been thinking about doing this. Not for other people, just so my nails don’t catch on my clothes or anything, but as of recent, I’ve been able to bite them to the point where files would be redundant.”
Pay attention to mental and emotional health.
“Talk about emotions and cry. There’s nothing masculine about repressed emotions leading to breakdowns and therapy.”
Therapy is more than just conversations. It’s a way to add to your emotional toolbox so you can better deal with difficult times in your life.
Baking and cooking.
“I love the kitchen. I bake and cook for my wife all day everyday. Sometimes I’ll surprise her with goodies after work. Recently made her chocolate pudding. We love bread so I made a sourdough starter and now make bread about once a week. It’s a labor of love.”
Paying attention to skincare.
“I’m a 46-year-old man and people have commented on how I have nice skin (not “I look 20 years younger than I really am” nice, but still). Apparently, no one likes the answer: I spent a life time out of the sun or covered in sunblock.”
