Caitlin Moran asked about the downsides of being a man and men opened up – 19 revealing responses
Even answering the question was a problem.
We are generally terrible at talking about the problems we face, individually and collectively. Especially to one another. https://t.co/xsKLEZUrjf
— Andrien Gbinigie (@EscoBlades) October 18, 2018
One of the downsides is that we are crap at talking about, well, the downsides.
— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) October 18, 2018
Male friendships can be superficial and empty. It's difficult to be open and honest without checking who you're being vulnerable with first, and then if there's a hint of awkwardness, you act like that was a moment of weakness, never to be spoken of ever again. https://t.co/7ugagKQx62
— Eric Mugendi (@mougendi) October 18, 2018
There were other downsides.
Well, I've been to War and lost friends. I've come home, and now I have nothing to come home to. So I'm out here just trying to make it on my own. For sure I'm not the only man who deals with something like this. @caitlinmoran https://t.co/7SMIBGEf4j
— the1ucidone (@the1ucidone) October 18, 2018
Regularly being accused of identifying as a male feminist so more women will sleep with me- despite me being a raging homo. Okay, that’s not so much a downside as it is funny. https://t.co/yiqIUOtV1c
— Greg Hogben (@MyDaughtersArmy) October 18, 2018
Realise that this is extremely minor but I am sick of being shamed for enjoying fancy bubble baths or having a Lush loyalty card https://t.co/V1VRAUnndI
— hussein kesvani (@HKesvani) October 18, 2018
When women get beaten up by life, their friends gang up to support them. Men don’t. Sometimes all you need is a hug.
— Mark Stradling (@oldmansteptoe) October 18, 2018
Urinal walls have this metal grating that no one is really sure if you're meant to stand on or not. It's always covered in piss and you usually are forced to take the lead of the man before you, lest the chain of urination be uneven. Fucking nightmare. https://t.co/FQupe9Lt42
— The Bell Tower Times (@BellTowerTimez) October 18, 2018
Lack of variety in clothing.
Being emotional is not a social norm.
Assuming a guy wants a son and not a daughter.
Parenting is often called babysitting.
Concept of a friend being a girl is questioned.
Lack of baby changing stations in men’s bathrooms. https://t.co/Ge0bVguu3w— Chef Mike Haracz @ #TheGameAwards (@Mike_Haracz) October 18, 2018
Women also responded to the thread.
https://twitter.com/MindofSnaps/status/1053070226970083328
This is an enlightening thread.
Recurring themes –
– Not feeling able to talk about emotions
– Having to like football & small talk about it
– Severe lack of good male role models
– Looking after their children seen as 'babysitting'
– Other men being shitbags
– Piers Morgan https://t.co/BGLyjogjkZ— Emma Reynolds (away) (@EmmaIllustrate) October 18, 2018
Writer and radio presenter Pete Paphides, who happens to be married to Caitlin Moran, had what is probably a work-related downside.
For some unearthly reason, you’re expected to say, “That’s a really good POP song” when you hear a mainstream pop song that you like. As if most pop songs are bad or inferior by virtue of being pop. This seems to be primarily something that men do. https://t.co/TGUfjCgX1T
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) October 18, 2018
Caitlin made this point about what was a typical answer.
We're really fucking up as a society when half the population fear being kind. https://t.co/q3fYyh4Tmq
— Caitlin Moran (@caitlinmoran) October 18, 2018
And before we go, here are a whole bunch of others which Moran retweeted herself.
It is far from being hardship, but I do think it is sad that I cannot tell a woman how nice she looks or a child how clever they are or another man how proud he should be of some act of humanity without the world thinking I mean something other than merely kindness or decency.
— Ben Fenton (@benfenton) October 18, 2018
