A good question related to my last article is; is manhood and manliness/masculinity the same thing? Is manliness and masculinity even the same thing? Whom defines the terms? From where do they come? What do they really mean? Or do they really mean anything at all? Are they just labels that mean nothing at all? Or do they really mean something concrete and solid?
Well, I do have an answer to the general theme of all of the above questions. The answer is yes there is such thing as masculinity. Also, that there is such a thing as manliness. However, it will probably not be what one thinks it is. Nor will it leave as many people out of the male kind as most would probably think either. First one needs a definition of manliness and masculinity.
appropriate in character to a manhaving qualities generally associated with a man
So, in order to be manly one needs to be acting in ways in accordance with being an adult male. As opposed to not yet being grown up and still having the characteristics of a boy into adult ages. Which means that if you fit into that you would be considered manly. However, is that the same as masculinity? Or is there a difference between manliness and masculinity? Or is masculinity what people think it is?
Of or relating to men or boys; male. A male person.
The above is from various dictionary definitions of masculinity and the definition keeps coming back to things related to being a man not a boy. However, I actually had a hard time finding any definitions or descriptors of masculinity. As when you look it up online all you find is Feminist BS about Toxic Masculinity or claims masculinity is a dysfunction or issue. The thing is how do they define a man vs a boy. Or which attributes do you need to have? In the next post this will be investigated more.
