[Maru]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mock

Ali liked Izaaz because he had next to zero masculinity.

I honestly think that Ali and Dean need to sort through their issues with masculinity when they both leave the house, because they've got some serious issues in that area.

Phat chance. (I just wanted to use the word phat in a TiBB post...)

They probably don't think there is anything they're missing out on. Some people act like masculinity is everywhere and anywhere and it's like Vitamin D (no dick puns intended), just go outside and you'll get some... some of us are old enough to know better that what was considered masculine in prior times is not how it is described as now... and what's described of many categories like this are often cartoonish descriptions of what used to be elaborate/complex topics that can take a lifetime to explore and expand upon (especially in oneself). Meanings/impressions that aren't easily nailed down and oversimplified are easily butchered in this way and that's a cultish thing to do which is to take massively complex things such as the sex of a human being (how that is derived from personality-wise and expressed in the culture... not just influenced by culture... which is where people get stuck...) and condense it down to portions in a recipe, or in this case a pyramid... but Ali herself holds a minor in Cartoons, so no surprise there.

However, I do think it does it a disservice to oversimplify such things that one actually develops negative associations just hearing the word ... I can't imagine hating or disliking something that is a substantial part of being a human being.. something that he is and that I think is expressed well by him... it's like hating the sun because it takes up too much time in your day and you're forced to wear sunscreen if you get too much of it... But because this is acceptable depth of dealing with complex topics in the mainstream, more and more take liberties with complex topics and giving haphazard depictions of things (while tossing in their own experiences to personify these matters). Some of that is just because of the limitations of communicating on complex topics while trying to relate that back to one's own experiences to those they are having important discussions... that's understandable... others, who knows what they're actually talking about... they become so sure they've got the whole thing bagged and can easily discuss it all in one go with a position of authority, that they basically have nothing at all to say other than "this one thing makes me mad" "This other thing is great, though... here's why we should do more of that..."... it's all preferences and doesn't scratch the surface as to how masculinity/femininity (and the balance of that) make our way of living so unique and special as just human beings...

For example, today... Dean says he doesn't "like" "masculinity". What does that actually mean (per Dean?). We don't know, but we can assume it's bad right. So we pull out our little Rolodex from within of all the things he's hating about masculinity... but then he adds toxic... did he have to add toxic?... is that not just a moniker for extra masculinity? ... well, we know what many can say about that, but what does that actually mean? Does even just the term toxic mean the same thing to most people... we can ask 20 different people what something like that is to them and they can give an explanation for it and they can all come up with very different ideas that are more like a jello mold of mumbojumbo than something most people can work with and develop a more concise relationship to those things in themselves and in their life.. it's stuck around what it could mean to someone. So for me, these topics get discussed far too often in a very fickle manner...