According to The New York Times, men can now, occasionally, be the little spoon.
About a week ago, the newspaper published an article providing insight on how to be a “modern man.” This article was composed of 27 enumerated qualities, each weirder than the last.
“On occasion, the modern man is the little spoon,” “[the modern man] knows which [shoe] brands run big or small” and “[the modern man] cries often” are just a few rules listed.
This list is one indicator of the slow transition men are making toward femininity.
Until recently, gender identity was a mainstay of U.S. culture. Men brought home the bacon, and wives cooked it. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percent of men in the labor force is declining while the percent of women in the workforce increasing.
The concept of a stay-at-home dad is more accepted today than in years past. This “Mr. Mom” concept is not emasculating; it shows signs of social progress.
Gender inequality causes gender differences. Women are not necessarily smarter than men, and men are not necessarily tougher than women. Pretending mental differences exist promotes false stereotyping and bias.
The acceptance of feminine tendencies among men gives hope for social progress. Modern activities like “broga” and men’s short-shorts may seem weird when first introduced, but bring men and women closer together.
Biological traits aside, men and women aren’t all that different, but gender roles bring about unnecessary separation. Gender roles are abstract and exist because society allows them to. If we lived life without the confines of gender roles, we would see how similar men and women truly were.
The Supreme Court recently ruled states can’t deny same-sex marriage. Gay and lesbian acceptance acknowledges men can play the matriarch and women can play the patriarch. Country-wide acceptance of this concept would seem foreign five years ago, but look at us now.
The mending of gender roles also leads to a new sort of independence. Historically, men and women relied on each other. Men needed women’s compassion to take care of a child and home, while women needed men’s paychecks to pay for the child and home. Nowadays, sexes aren’t so dependent on one another.
This new concept of individualism is shown through the rising percentage of single people. For the first time since the Bureau of Labor Statistics started keeping track in 1976, the majority of people are single at 50.2 percent.
The growing percentage of not finding your special other may seem depressing but should be rejoiced. The increasing popularity of the bachelor life means more people are comfortable being alone, which is a good thing.
In the words of Mark Twain, “The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself”. This newfound acceptance of a more androgynous self helps the modern man and woman stay comfortable in their skin.
So what if women like working on cars? So what if men like ordering fruity drinks at bars because alcohol tastes bad? Men and women should be able to do what they want, regardless of masculine and feminine stereotypes.
When we discourage people from acting true to themselves, we limit their individualism and identity. This bigotry is slowly fading, and our social progress should be applauded.
Kain Hingle is a 19-year-old psychology sophomore from Mandeville, Louisiana. You can follow him on Twitter @kain_hingle.