As a (queer) cis man, I honestly think _everyone_ should think about what their gender means to them, and how they express it.

I've thought a lot about masculinity — what makes it toxic, or anti-toxic, or positive — and how that applies to myself, not just how I act but how I feel in my body. And I think because I've thought about that, I've had moments of gender euphoria. Of feeling right in my body and my presentation and all of that. Not just being okay with it, not unthinking acceptance, but legit euphoria.

More cis people need to do the work so they can feel that, because they'd finally understand some fraction of what gender means to people who have had to confront it, with whatever results.

@digitalraven

Yep. I'm a cishet dude. Gender dysphoria and euphoria were concepts I had to learn about a few years ago and examine within myself. Determined I'm actually good with myself as I watch so much of this BS where guys are trying to prove to themselves they are men.

Latest version I heard about was The Sigma Male. Oh, just fuck off.

Use your strength to help, and accept help. Teach what you can, and learn from others. Be a _partner_ if you're into people, and raise your children to be good people if you do the parent thing.

@NuclearOatmeal @digitalraven Sometimes I like to simply things down (possibly too far) ... just try to avoid being an arsehole.
@NuclearOatmeal @digitalraven the sum of all males? Such transparent grifts, the whole thing.

@NuclearOatmeal @digitalraven I consider myself fortunate, as a multispecies holobiont, that no one is around to tell me I'm not acting out an externally assigned role correctly based on cultural modalities reinforced by the aforementioned role-policing.

Honestly, that entire "manosphere" environment seems like an intentional mindfuck to acquire some kind of loyal army. Probably for consumerist profit, but one never can tell with a mob of howling furless apes at someone's back.

@NuclearOatmeal @digitalraven idiocy, like disease, runs in families.
@jonw psst: that sign you passed a few miles back? It said "eugenics" fyi
@geeksam I have no clue what that means.
@jonw "that thing you said was pretty fucked up if you stop to think about its implications"
@geeksam I still have no idea what you’re on about. Diseases do run in families. That’s why doctors want to know your family history. Likewise, idiocy does. If your parents are idiots, they’ll likely raise idiots. How the fuck is that eugenics?
@digitalraven @NuclearOatmeal
I agree with you both.

I am disappointed that certain rural areas of certain countries frown upon men expressing love (including platonic)/happiness/etc with one another, which seems to have the cause of going back to WWII where a lot of grand/fathers were lost, though I really have no idea on that part.