Thread by @marksbirch

Folks, I have a confession to make. I am a wuss.

That is the only conclusion I can come to after many weeks of reading right wing Twitter.

I am just not manly enough to be a man.

A thread 🧵

I saw this guy going off about emojis. They are only for women 👩 and children 🧒apparently. It's about self respect, men!

Got to admit, I 💗 a good emoji. Guess I'm a child then?

A little while later some dude was questioning a father showing his grown son affection. I think the photo is heartful. I hug my son everyday.

But somehow this is too icky for real men. Thus I am not a real man?

There are men that apparently go to professional events to hit on women thinking this is an appropriate behavior.

I saw this once in a community I founded and squashed it. I'm the party buzzkill. Sorry real men.

https://twitter.com/marksbirch/status/1319083959058391041

I try to fix the ratio in industries I work in so that women have the same opportunities that men have. This makes real man really mad.

So now I am the wussy guy trying to take opportunities away from men.

Because I have this privilege as a white male, I try to step aside to let those without privilege rise and be recognized. This is fair and right.

But wow does that infuriate the real man. How dare I!

https://twitter.com/marksbirch/status/1319088906231517190?s=20

It get even worse though because I believe household chores and child care are the responsibility of both the father and the mother.

Real men just shake their heads in disbelief and think I should wear a dress.

I don't think locker room talk is ever appropriate. Such gutter chatter is beneath any decent person because I feel every person has dignity and deserves respect.

Humiliating people is manly and so much fun say the real men! I'm just not fun then? Oh well...

I believe you influence through empathy. I believe you inspire others through understanding. I believe talking is better than yelling. I believe using force is for the weak in mind.

Real men just want to beat you down with words and fists. Nope, not for me.

I believe words have power. When we use our words to hurt, we breed hate and distrust. When we use our words to heal, we build togetherness and community and hope.

The real men throw away words as easily as they throw away trash. They prefer to lob insults for sport. Sad really.

I know in my heart that helping others before I help myself is the path for building a better world for all of us. Lending a hand is lifting a heart.

Real men take without giving. In their mind, sharing and caring is a waste. That is too bad really.

Caring for others is our moral obligation. Everyone's obligation. When we help those in need, we build trust and show that the world can be better than this hard, uncaring world.

Real men? Nah, they are busy putting people back in their place. Lending a hand is wussy.

It has been said that love is patient and kind. In love there is no boasting or selfishness or anger or revenge. Love praises the truth. Love protects.

Of faith, hope, and love, love is the greatest. Real men think love is for the weak. But not I.

I am not a "real man" in the eyes of men that shout all day on Twitter. But I serve a higher power, a power has another thing to say about what a real man is.

I want to be that man. That is what I strive for. That is what every man should strive for.

Let's change the meaning of what a real man is.

Who's with me?