This was a beautiful read and I look forward to part 2. I am so saddened by the fact that young men are expected and told to hide their soft, caring, gentle side. I have loved men who find it very hard to release that part of themselves to me, and I yearn for it so much in relationships.
Thank you, Victoria— it means a lot. Yes, most men have some version of a story like this.
Bell hooks writes about the first time her brother was scolded for being joyful as a kid. I see that shit all the time even by moms to their sons on the street.
It’s a terrible lie that, yes — even women perpetuate, that men should not be allowed to express a full range of emotions. I think you all deserve more, and so do we.
This story reminds me of a TikTok skit by Ty Wvy. The character's GF makes a complaint to one of her friends: "She don't beat my ass or nothin'! She holds me; holds me close!" 🙃
I just wish other kinds of messages got as much clout on socials; these are the kind of posts that men DM me acting like it’s representative of what women ‘really’ want
Ah, Evan, my heart goes out to you. Beautifully written and so painful. Dating was so confusing even back in my Boomer days. I wish I had had a sweet boyfriend like you!
This was a beautiful read and I look forward to part 2. I am so saddened by the fact that young men are expected and told to hide their soft, caring, gentle side. I have loved men who find it very hard to release that part of themselves to me, and I yearn for it so much in relationships.
Thank you, Victoria— it means a lot. Yes, most men have some version of a story like this.
Bell hooks writes about the first time her brother was scolded for being joyful as a kid. I see that shit all the time even by moms to their sons on the street.
It’s a terrible lie that, yes — even women perpetuate, that men should not be allowed to express a full range of emotions. I think you all deserve more, and so do we.
This story reminds me of a TikTok skit by Ty Wvy. The character's GF makes a complaint to one of her friends: "She don't beat my ass or nothin'! She holds me; holds me close!" 🙃
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYy2TfUY/
I just wish other kinds of messages got as much clout on socials; these are the kind of posts that men DM me acting like it’s representative of what women ‘really’ want
Ah, Evan, my heart goes out to you. Beautifully written and so painful. Dating was so confusing even back in my Boomer days. I wish I had had a sweet boyfriend like you!