Skinny Jeans, John Wayne, and the Feminization of America

[Iceberg]

A chick friend passed me this article and it immediately reminded me of the guys on Sosuave. It was written by a chick too...unless it's a man named Jane.

http://thebulletin.us/articles/2010/08/24/commentary/op-eds/doc4c73e3d4a0055039646585.txt

Skinny Jeans, John Wayne, and the Feminization of America

Despite what feminists might argue, real men don’t wear skinny jeans. Real men also don’t wear V-neck tees, or accessorized scarves, and they avoid purple and pink like the plague. The mere idea of a pedicure or waxing makes a real man nauseous. If a woman hangs out with this kind of girly-man routinely, it’s only because she wants to share his wardrobe and his non-fat caramel macchiato. A woman can’t imagine a man reloading his double barrel shotgun or chopping wood when he’s donned in Donna Karan and drinking an Appletini. Men were meant to wear rugged Wranglers, leather jackets and boots, like they belong in a James Dean movie and not an episode of “Will & Grace.”

When did men in America go from being masculine steak-eating, plaid shirt wearing, Old Spice smelling, cigar smoking cowboys who like football, hunting, and Clint Eastwood movies to skinny jean wearing, satchel carrying, pierced ear metrosexuals who like chick flicks, “The View,” and Bath & Bodyworks? The American man is an endangered species due in large part to the over-feminization of society.

Not surprisingly, the arrow of blame points towards the feminists who have transformed our schools into gender neutral zones of indoctrination. Early on, boys’ innate masculinity is suppressed by banning competitive, rough games like dodge ball and tag on the playground, having co-ed teams, not keeping score in soccer games, and rewarding passive, demure behavior.

Boys learn to subdue their more spirited, intrepid behavior in elementary and middle school, their male instincts of competition and individualism quashed in the interest of what’s best for girls as they walk like lemmings over the edge of the radical feminist cliff by the time they reach high school. Because of the feminist movement, boys aren’t allowed to be boys - society has fenced them in, corralled their adventurous enthusiasm in the name of sexual equality. The end product is pantywaist pushovers who will cry during “Steel Magnolias” and urinate sitting down. This is bad news for America, who will eventually have to reap what the feminists have sown, which will be a paucity of male leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists and heroes.

Phyllis Schlafly, President of Eagle Forum, reports in “Where Are the Men?” that the ratio of males to females on college campuses has swung from 60-40 to 40-60, with 58 percent of women earning degrees from four-year colleges. In the coming years, this will severely impact the American family who have traditionally relied upon the father as the primary breadwinner.

It is simply foolish to think that America can prosper without men, but New York Times columnist and radical feminist Maureen Dowd suggests the opposite. Mr. Dowd is the author of Are Men Necessary? When Sexes Collide in which she opines and whines about the current state of feminism and questions the value of a woman pursuing a male mate.

Hollywood is also doing its part to marginalize and diminish the role of men in this society. In the Academy Award-winning movie “Juno,” a teenage girl is faced with an unplanned pregnancy after a night of casual, meaningless sex with her friend Paulie. Juno not only ignores Paulie after they have sex but overtly excludes him from any decisions about whether or not to choose abortion over life. To the viewer, Paulie is a non-factor, a by-stander incapable of taking charge, unable to rescue Juno and stand firm in his fatherhood, albeit unplanned. Feminists just love a movie that glamourizes teenage pregnancy and deprecates the male role in conception.

In Jennifer Aniston’s new movie “The Switch,” she plays an unmarried 40 year old who decides that she doesn’t need a man to have a baby, and, instead, turns to artificial insemination of a donor’s sperm - even throwing a “Getting Pregnant” party to celebrate with her friends. The male roles in the movie are those of sperm donors, with Aniston’s character firm in her belief that a woman doesn’t need a man to conceive and rear a child. The implicit message of this movie is that men are not important in the raising and nurturing of children. Their biological contribution to conception is where their role begins and ends.

Unfortunately, this kind of thinking has become the norm rather than the exception in American culture. Feminists’ dogged efforts to have society view men and women as being the same instead of different but equal have paid off. The rotten fruits of their endeavors are manifest in statistics recently released by The Heritage Foundation which reports that, in 2008, a record 40 percent of babies born in the U.S. were born to unwed mothers compared to about 3 percent in 1929.

American men aren’t men anymore because feminists have equated maleness with everything that’s repugnant and have molded men to be more like women. Feminists have slayed the real man by suppressing his desires for adventure, beauty, and competition, his yearning for greatness and excitement. John Wayne once said, “I’m the stuff men are made of.” America needs more John Waynes.

 

[Trader]

Despite what feminists might argue, real men don’t wear skinny jeans. Real men also don’t wear V-neck tees, or accessorized scarves, and they avoid purple and pink like the plague. The mere idea of a pedicure or waxing makes a real man nauseous. If a woman hangs out with this kind of girly-man routinely, it’s only because she wants to share his wardrobe and his non-fat caramel macchiato. A woman can’t imagine a man reloading his double barrel shotgun or chopping wood when he’s donned in Donna Karan and drinking an Appletini. Men were meant to wear rugged Wranglers, leather jackets and boots, like they belong in a James Dean movie and not an episode of “Will & Grace.”

When did men in America go from being masculine steak-eating, plaid shirt wearing, Old Spice smelling, cigar smoking cowboys who like football, hunting, and Clint Eastwood movies to skinny jean wearing, satchel carrying, pierced ear metrosexuals who like chick flicks, “The View,” and Bath & Bodyworks?

The secret is to first figure out, "At its core, what is masculine? What is feminine?"

Is a guy masculine because he eats steak?

I leave the rest for you to figure out.

 

[Iceberg]

Agreed. I don't like the truckload of blame being heaped upon the feminists. And while we're complaining about the feminist movement, to what do we attribute the cause of it? Centuries of belittling and mistreating women by men.

But still I do agree with the overarching premise: men should aspire to be manly. Not necessarily chopping wood and growing beards, but following your dreams and chasing ambitions. Those are the men in history books.

I don't believe there ever was a "Good ol' days". Even in the 1940's, there were jerks, AFCs, DJs and any other type of man you want to throw out there. Humans are humans. But with so much opportunity available to us today - without the "old days" societal mandate to get married when you finish high school - I see far too many men falling short of (or watering-down) their goals in the name of love, marriage or whatever they want to call it.

So while the writer is far too conservative and black-and-white with her viewpoint, I do see some truths in the gray area. It's not about the skinny jeans you wear, it's about the man in those jeans. Hell, our manly forefathers wore powdered wigs.

 

[vatoloco]

Not surprisingly, the arrow of blame points towards the feminists who have transformed our schools into gender neutral zones of indoctrination. Early on, boys’ innate masculinity is suppressed by banning competitive, rough games like dodge ball and tag on the playground, having co-ed teams, not keeping score in soccer games, and rewarding passive, demure behavior.

What!? Okay, that's it! When I have my kids and if I have [a] boy, I'm making my own little soccer league. Where boys will be boys and where there will be score keeping, winners/losers, scrapes, and sweat.

 

[vatoloco]

Hey, just because I wear eyeliner to accentuate my beautiful eyes doesn't mean I'm not a man!

:crackup:

Ever since my eyes were opened in my late twenties I have noticed this "pvssyfication" of America. Men are not men anymore. Women disrespect men and get away with it (not that men should disrespect women either, but men nowadays just "take it," without question, concern or protest).

The only thing I can do is rebel against it in my own way. By wearing eyeliner only. No eyeshadow; that'd be too girlie.

 

[5string]

Hey, just because I wear eyeliner to accentuate my beautiful eyes doesn't mean I'm not a man!

:crackup:

Ever since my eyes were opened in my late twenties I have noticed this "pvssyfication" of America. Men are not men anymore. Women disrespect men and get away with it (not that men should disrespect women either, but men nowadays just "take it," without question, concern or protest).

The only thing I can do is rebel against it in my own way. By wearing eyeliner only. No eyeshadow; that'd be too girlie.

I am always tempted to put on my chifon colored evening dress when I go to the pub to hang out with the guys. Just can't decide which heels look best with it. It's all so confusing! I don't know what to do with myself anymore. Ah fuk it. Where's my jeans?

 

[Zunder]

You girl is at your place, and you decide to take her to the local eatery for a bite.
What do you? Order the steak sandwhich, or the mung-bean salad?
Fvksake.
I this this woman's article is just about spot on.
The message is clear.

 

[jophil28]

Interesting article. Feminists aren't wholly to blame though - men have been complicit in this emasculation, sadly.

Indeed we have. In fact most men fell over themselves in their haste to be a willing participant in this process.

One of the tell tale signs of a whipped male is his eager use of "girl language" .
How many of you use the word " partner " to describe your wife or your LTR? How many of you are happy that your wife refers to YOU as her "partner". When, and why were you removed as her husband and rehired as her "partner"...

Why did you change your own descriptor of the woman in your life ? Who asked or demanded that you use this word - was a law passed in your region that obligated you to stop using traditional decriptions and use "partner " instead.
The word is gender neutral and was chosen by leftist feminists and adopted by their symps deliberately.

"Partners" are people who are equals in democratic or peer relationships.
Cops have partners. Guys who rob banks have "partners" in crime .

I have "girl friends".

 

[Buddha_Mind]

Iceberg -- this was interesting, thanks for sharing this. I definitely think there are gray areas for sure in gender, and a "man" can be a "man" without chew and whiskey and leather boots.

I think some of it might come down to engaging life, having a sense of adventure, having trust in our own decisions and ability to guide ourselves into the future. I believe men have traditionally been a sign post, so to speak, to women, that "things are under control, I can handle this", that seems to be the most important thing.

But I'll tell you, I chopped wood this morning and it does feel damn good. And it does feel good to do these sorts of things. I'm not sure steak and cigars are the best for the healthy-minded man, but there are aspects of assertiveness, decision and guidance that I believe, are psychologically what women do desire. They seem to want a male to be a stabilizing point for their own emotional irrationality, not be the base for your own ups and downs and emotional low-points because of a sitcom series or the tardiness of your mocah with low-fat cream.

And yes...very effiminate metrosexuals, I believe are a result of the urban world, the disconnect from labor related to consumption, and the world of marketing. They turn us into softie pusses who could hardly walk on our own...dumbed down, spiritually castrated from our traditional roles...

 

[Lexington]

Are European men more feminized than American men? All of this feminizing behavior that is taking place in the US seems to be happening to a greater extent in western Europe. That's just the impression that I get.

Also, are white men more feminized than black men in the U.S.? It seems there is more emphasis on being tough and manly in African American culture when compared to white culture.

 

[Iceberg]

Good point. Men cannot define what is masculine. Women do this - and the barometers are 'gina tingles and willfully spread legs.

We do know that certain traits of dominance have been considered attractive for millions of years in the human brain.

Corollary is that men define what is feminine by virtue of what we find attractive.

That raises an interesting point - what is feminine? Of course there's boobs, thighs, and big pretty eyes. But character-wise? I never really thought about feminine traits...I just know what I like when I see it.

Are European men more feminized than American men? All of this feminizing behavior that is taking place in the US seems to be happening to a greater extent in western Europe. That's just the impression that I get.

Also, are white men more feminized than black men in the U.S.? It seems there is more emphasis on being tough and manly in African American culture when compared to white culture.

I don't think it's racial or European/American. There are men of every color getting suckered by women because they put chicks on a pedestal. Laying awake at night, writing love songs and sh**. Happens everywhere.

Less privileged societies might have more clearly-defined gender roles than America, but that's because they're poor. Men go out and do hard labor. Women raise the babies. Women have more opportunity here and don't have to take sh** from weak men.

I think the more privileged you are as a country or culture, the more men feel a need to bend their personas to cater to women. In crappy countries, women are just happy to have a man who can pay the bills. And that's what the men use: "Hey I make money and have a strong healthy back. Can I purchase your daughter?"

 

[RMM]

Dodge ball is considered a rough game? Back when I was in school it was one of the "girly" games (that's in Spain btw), what the heck happened in the last 20 years? Do they use spiked balls or something nowadays?

Thinking about it, my class' dodge ball team (as I said, girls) used to hate me, because whenever the PE teacher had us playing I'd beat them almost on my own rather handily; I was the goalkeeper when playing soccer with the guys, so girly throws with a large ball were not exactly life-threatening, I used to just grab them and throw them back to score for my team. I wonder how much of that "hate" could have been redirected into more useful avenues if I had had a clue back then, heh.

 

[Julius_Seizeher]

"I am the stuff men are made of."- John Wayne

And I am John Wayne, recycled.

And let me tell you guys, I took up cigars this year, YES!!! Smoking cigars rules, and should you ever find yourself in distinguished company, it might earn you some respect.

And don't listen to this bs about cigars being unhealthy, you don't inhale cigar smoke so what the hell is there to worry about?

 

[Captain]

Are European men more feminized than American men? All of this feminizing behavior that is taking place in the US seems to be happening to a greater extent in western Europe. That's just the impression that I get.

I wouldn't say so, I think it's just because marketers in the US like to play with the "trendy Euro" look, which has now stereotyped it.

 

[Luthor Rex]

You want to know what the future of America without men looks like? Look to the ghetto.

Single mothers, subsidized by the last of the tax payers, and men who largely turn to apathy and crime.

They don't live that way because most of them are black, they live that way because they live in a matriarchy.

 

[jophil28]

Read some of the numerous comments from the socially enlightened - there sure is a whole lot of anger out there in liberalville.

 

[old married dude]

Dodge ball is considered a rough game? Back when I was in school it was one of the "girly" games (that's in Spain btw), what the heck happened in the last 20 years? Do they use spiked balls or something nowadays?

Thinking about it, my class' dodge ball team (as I said, girls) used to hate me, because whenever the PE teacher had us playing I'd beat them almost on my own rather handily; I was the goalkeeper when playing soccer with the guys, so girly throws with a large ball were not exactly life-threatening, I used to just grab them and throw them back to score for my team. I wonder how much of that "hate" could have been redirected into more useful avenues if I had had a clue back then, heh.

I agree, I can't recall anyone ever really getting hurt playing dodge ball with those soft bouncy rubber balls. First of all, no one could throw that hard. No second grader is going to be able to throw one of those balls like Stephen Strasburg. The ball would maybe sting if you got hit right in the face, but it only hurt for a few minutes.

 

[Kailex]

Iceberg, this topic seems to bring a certain realization upon me.
For years I've heard about the so-called "machismo" that Latin Americans carry around with a tremendous amount of confidence. What I didn't realize is that in most cases, this is simply the act of being masculine.

From 1998 to 2008, I lived in Puerto Rico and it was prevalent there... the "machismo", the man's man. But since PR is an American territory, we could feel the effects of the "Sex and the City" culture trickling in.

Upon many visits to Central and South America, I noticed that this so-called feminism was even less existent.

And once I moved to the US in 2008, it just went downhill from there.
The gap seems a lot wider here in the US (Ughhhhhhhh, am I making a point for BigJimbo?).

It DOES take some adjusting to.
I will see that by nature, Latin-American women seem to be ill-tempered, but their intentions on worn on their sleeves from the get-go. I never went through this "She gave me her number but wouldn't answer the phone" ordeals. With Americanized women, it's a whole new ball game.

And then I look besides me and I see all the guys falling prey to the women's and men's games of femininity.


Sidenote: Much like RMM, for me dodgeball was the thing girls played while the guys played baseball/basketball/football.

 

[bish0p]

Some of the points the author brings up are retarded. I mean, what makes skinny jeans inheritently feminine besides another persons perception? Hell, the Scottish wear (or used to) bottoms that look like mini skirts in western eyes...but I doubt anyone would call William Wallace a girly man to his face if he were still alivem

Personally I don't wear skinny jeans, but I don't see anything wrong with men wearing them. Things do change in life.

The clothes don't make the man and blah blah..

 

[Slickster]

The secret is to first figure out, "At its core, what is masculine? What is feminine?"

Is a guy masculine because he eats steak?

Damn straight he is! Even more manly with a little blood dripping from his chin too.

When defining masculine and feminine I think primally. I think of wolf packs and barbarians. Males hunt, kill, protect, and provide. This is the natural way.

How is the metro dude supposed to perform or fill any of those roles? Does he even want to? No wonder things are so fvcked up!

The problem isn't women or feminism. The problem is men forgot how or don't even want to be men. Instead of catching a fish, chopping it's head off, and slapping it in the pan for dinner, too many men are quietly munching on salads and rice cakes while discussing the problems with society and relating it to feminism. Do you think a real man gives a fvck about feminism???

It's funny but when you start acting like a man you get treated like one and everything naturally falls into place.

Modern metro man has become his own problem.