According to Ditch the Label and Lynx research, guys have been asking the question: “Is it ok to feel like a girl?” … so, we answered it.
*spoiler alert*
the answer is YES!
Of course it’s ok to feel like a girl, why wouldn’t it be? Girls are awesome! 😝
However, this question needs breaking down a bit; so stick with us. The biggest killer of young guys today is suicide as a result of a whole bunch of mental health problems that guys are facing and not getting any help with. The constant questioning of a man’s masculinity is having catastrophic effects on their self-worth, mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Ever been told to ‘stop acting like a girl?’
Sure, haven’t we all! The assumption here is that to ‘act like a girl’ is a bad thing. But what exactly does it mean to feel like a girl?
Any of these sound familiar…?
“I’m not good at sport”
“I’m sometimes emotional”
“I have cried at school”
“I’m shorter than my girlfriend”
“I enjoy looking after my appearance”
“I drink soy milk”
“I like to wear jewellery”
“I have a higher voice than other guys my age”
“I am slimmer than my friends”
“I like to follow fashion and trends”
“I am not as physically strong as my friends”
“I do not enjoy contact sports”
“I don’t eat meat”
“I am close to my mum”
“I’m not as physically strong as my girlfriend”
“My friends are all girls”
“I don’t like cars”
“I don’t enjoy watching football”
Maybe these things do make guys feel a bit girly from time to time, but masculinity is a construct: we’ve been conned! The funny thing is, the things in this list don’t even relate to a person’s gender…. think about it, SOY MILK– really?!?!?
Whether you can relate to one of them, or all of them – that’s a good thing, and shows that you don’t have a problem with pursuing your own interests and embracing yourself. We can relate to any of the above, and still be as manly as The Rock. Why? Because life’s too short to live by other people’s standards! Be yourself and embrace the things you like and do because you choose to do them.
If however, you are questioning your own gender or you feel like you’re unsure how to identify, guess what? That’s OK too…
Check out some of our other articles for further reading:
