He’s right about one thing: There is a serious lack of actual masculinity among our leaders.
Most public figures who try to present some form of “masculinity” are just desperate and petty, willing to sacrifice nothing to earn their status, and eager to degrade others to look better by comparison.
A real man produces more than he needs, but takes only that much and ensures the rest goes to those who are less able to sustain themselves. They protect the defenseless, elevate those who are ignored, and invest in a future they won’t personally live to enjoy.
Show me a real man among you. It’s not femininity keeping you from finding one. It’s your own greed and hubris.
Real men are also able to access their emotions, express their needs(both emotional and physical), develop and share empathy, and nurture deep relationships within their community.
Though i would argue none of what either of us said has to do with gender.
Relentlessly locking your own humanity away behind a strong man facade built on shame is one of the biggest reason these fuckers become so hateful and make "manliness" seem like such a putrid prospect.
There is a serious lack actual masculinity among our leaders.
The problem is many people hear these words and instantly jump to toxic masculinity. Which you’re obviously not advocating for, but neither of us are “many people”.
Masculinity isn't just for men. Just like femininity isn't just for women. A healthy person has a mix of these qualities, along with many others that we don't tend to align with a specific gender.
When I say "a real man", I don't mean it as an objective assessment to stick a person neatly into one of two piles. That's not how gender works, and it's not how being a person in general works.
What I mean is that if you're indulging in behavior like belittling other people for fun or "cool points", or using your power or physical strength to get what you want, and calling that "being a man", then your idea of manhood is a mirage. If you want to aspire to something based on your male gender identity, aspire to humility, vigilance, and service to others. Those are great qualities that anyone can have, but they're especially important for men if we're gonna have a respectful and productive society.
(Edit: I didn't downvote you btw. I thought your comment was pretty reasonable and mild. But I did wanna take the opportunity to elaborate, because this topic can be complex and emotionally charged. We all have a lot of baggage when it comes to gender, and it's hard on the internet to develop rapport with each other.)