I thought I'd start this thread as a counterpart to the "what is feminine" thread. Mods, I'm not sure if this should be on the main board or the FFA/BHM board. Place accordingly.
It seems that masculinity - whatever that means, might be even more restrictive than femininity not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. Why should these gender roles affect men so and how can a man break out of them without loosing his masculinity/machismo/bravissimo/manhood or whatever you want to call it?
BHMs, how do these gender roles affect the fat man? What does "masculine" mean to you as a fat man and how much of your fat plays a part in that perception? If you were not fat would you perceive yourself to be more or less "masculine"? Would a BHM feel even more pressure to be manly or assert his manhood because of any perceived femininity on the part of the general observer (whomever that might be)? Are feminine connotations negative or positive to you? How do you deal with that perception in a way that is empowering or do you deal with it at all?
How much of your masculinity do you project onto the women or men you want to/try to date? How does that projected attitude affect the people you interact with? In other words do you think you can influence someone else's ideas about your masculinity by the sheer force of your own attitude to it?
Am I asking stupid questions here? Are these questions BHMs even want to discuss? Forgive me if all this gender talk seems redundant, but I feel like it's important enough to really give each gender a chance to speak to their own experiences.
It seems that masculinity - whatever that means, might be even more restrictive than femininity not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. Why should these gender roles affect men so and how can a man break out of them without loosing his masculinity/machismo/bravissimo/manhood or whatever you want to call it?
BHMs, how do these gender roles affect the fat man? What does "masculine" mean to you as a fat man and how much of your fat plays a part in that perception? If you were not fat would you perceive yourself to be more or less "masculine"? Would a BHM feel even more pressure to be manly or assert his manhood because of any perceived femininity on the part of the general observer (whomever that might be)? Are feminine connotations negative or positive to you? How do you deal with that perception in a way that is empowering or do you deal with it at all?
How much of your masculinity do you project onto the women or men you want to/try to date? How does that projected attitude affect the people you interact with? In other words do you think you can influence someone else's ideas about your masculinity by the sheer force of your own attitude to it?
Am I asking stupid questions here? Are these questions BHMs even want to discuss? Forgive me if all this gender talk seems redundant, but I feel like it's important enough to really give each gender a chance to speak to their own experiences.
