I used to love the NFL. I haven't watched more than a dozen games in the last 10 years. I watched the Superbowl this year only because I can't stand the Chiefs or their unofficial mascot. Need I say who? One can hardly watch TV these days without having gender twisting being forced on the viewer.
MinnieKins
The real question here is: who defines what masculinity means? Is it merely outward appearance like lip gloss and nail polish -- both of which are only culturally linked to femininity -- or is it something deeper? We all know that "Jesus wept" openly; did that make Him somehow less masculine?
Gender should never be solely defined by stereotypes. That's the very trap that leads to people who don't conform becoming deceived by trans ideology.
I think we can all agree on biblical masculine traits - provider, protector, etc.
I certainly agree that some cultures have different customs. However, within our culture, I suspect men who do this are doing it either drawing attention to themselves to get a reaction, or they have some mental/emotional issues. It's a stretch to say stereotypes somehow lead to transgenderism. Mental illness, demon possession, or an uncontrolled focus on sinful concepts is the more likely cause.
What's a stereotype?
I know the secular world defines stereotype along the lines of "harmful or ridiculous caricature", but is that really what it means? Because the secular world also rejects that male and female biology carries any deeper spiritual meaning or significance, or that biological sex differences explain other differences between the sexes.
We do have different roles and psychology as men and women, and these differences are explained by our male and female biology, which is a good gift and God-given, rather than by sinful man's internally felt sense of which sex he is and the corrupt reasoning that follows from this. Even virtues shared by both sexes, such as courage, are lived out differently depending on whether you're male or female (think of Peter's open boldness in Acts versus the Hebrew midwives' covert subversion).
So I wouldn't say that a stereotype is the same thing as a caricature. Given that the secular world tends to deny that male and female biology has anything to say about why men and women have different aptitudes, preferences, and ways of perceiving things, I'd probably define 'stereotype' more neutrally or positively as "generally true observation about the differences between men and women that offends worldly assumptions in its simplicity and truthfulness." Though there are exceptions (and God does allow for exceptions, provided they accept the sex God gave them and are living it out in a holy way in accordance with His design for male and female), those exceptions don't disprove the rule, nor do they flatten out the essential and complementary difference of the God-given, biology-defined categories of male and female.
I would say that people become homosexual and transgender not because they find culturally-defined sex roles too restrictive, but because, fundamentally, they're in rebellion against God. As such they're offended by His true design for men and women, and their homosexuality and transgenderism are simply manifestations of their hard-heartedness apart from Christ and their determination to serve the creature rather than the Creator.
Thanks, MinnieKins. I also felt this article leaned a bit into cultural stereotypes.
Specifically, I don’t personally prefer men with sparkly nails, and it does kind of challenge general clothing choices for men-at least from my generation-but I know tough military guys who are younger than me who have gone for mani pedi’s. Seriously. (In other words, there really are companies selling skin care and stuff like this to men; and very masculine men I know view it as self care and do it as a fun activity and/or improve their health.)
The part that truly mystifies me is how going home and hugging dogs while watching TV after a loss is not “wholesome” or even how it affects whether a man is “commanding” or not. Every single man I know with dogs cuddles them while watching TV. And some cuddle with CATS!
I get pushing back against harmful cultural trends. I just don’t quite understand what I was meant to get from this particular article. (Specifically, was this a personal preference or meant as a moral statement? If the former, okay-we all have preferences. If the latter, I didn’t find what was mentioned here convincing. Moreover, as mentioned below, using Archie Bunker as a model undermined the point.)
I used to love the NFL. I haven't watched more than a dozen games in the last 10 years. I watched the Superbowl this year only because I can't stand the Chiefs or their unofficial mascot. Need I say who? One can hardly watch TV these days without having gender twisting being forced on the viewer.
The real question here is: who defines what masculinity means? Is it merely outward appearance like lip gloss and nail polish -- both of which are only culturally linked to femininity -- or is it something deeper? We all know that "Jesus wept" openly; did that make Him somehow less masculine?
Gender should never be solely defined by stereotypes. That's the very trap that leads to people who don't conform becoming deceived by trans ideology.
Do you have the answers to your own questions?
I think we can all agree on biblical masculine traits - provider, protector, etc.
I certainly agree that some cultures have different customs. However, within our culture, I suspect men who do this are doing it either drawing attention to themselves to get a reaction, or they have some mental/emotional issues. It's a stretch to say stereotypes somehow lead to transgenderism. Mental illness, demon possession, or an uncontrolled focus on sinful concepts is the more likely cause.
What's a stereotype?
I know the secular world defines stereotype along the lines of "harmful or ridiculous caricature", but is that really what it means? Because the secular world also rejects that male and female biology carries any deeper spiritual meaning or significance, or that biological sex differences explain other differences between the sexes.
We do have different roles and psychology as men and women, and these differences are explained by our male and female biology, which is a good gift and God-given, rather than by sinful man's internally felt sense of which sex he is and the corrupt reasoning that follows from this. Even virtues shared by both sexes, such as courage, are lived out differently depending on whether you're male or female (think of Peter's open boldness in Acts versus the Hebrew midwives' covert subversion).
So I wouldn't say that a stereotype is the same thing as a caricature. Given that the secular world tends to deny that male and female biology has anything to say about why men and women have different aptitudes, preferences, and ways of perceiving things, I'd probably define 'stereotype' more neutrally or positively as "generally true observation about the differences between men and women that offends worldly assumptions in its simplicity and truthfulness." Though there are exceptions (and God does allow for exceptions, provided they accept the sex God gave them and are living it out in a holy way in accordance with His design for male and female), those exceptions don't disprove the rule, nor do they flatten out the essential and complementary difference of the God-given, biology-defined categories of male and female.
I would say that people become homosexual and transgender not because they find culturally-defined sex roles too restrictive, but because, fundamentally, they're in rebellion against God. As such they're offended by His true design for men and women, and their homosexuality and transgenderism are simply manifestations of their hard-heartedness apart from Christ and their determination to serve the creature rather than the Creator.
Thanks, MinnieKins. I also felt this article leaned a bit into cultural stereotypes.
Specifically, I don’t personally prefer men with sparkly nails, and it does kind of challenge general clothing choices for men-at least from my generation-but I know tough military guys who are younger than me who have gone for mani pedi’s. Seriously. (In other words, there really are companies selling skin care and stuff like this to men; and very masculine men I know view it as self care and do it as a fun activity and/or improve their health.)
The part that truly mystifies me is how going home and hugging dogs while watching TV after a loss is not “wholesome” or even how it affects whether a man is “commanding” or not. Every single man I know with dogs cuddles them while watching TV. And some cuddle with CATS!
I get pushing back against harmful cultural trends. I just don’t quite understand what I was meant to get from this particular article. (Specifically, was this a personal preference or meant as a moral statement? If the former, okay-we all have preferences. If the latter, I didn’t find what was mentioned here convincing. Moreover, as mentioned below, using Archie Bunker as a model undermined the point.)
MY sentiments too! Men ARE men!
i agree!
but i sure wouldn't use Archie Bunker as my model :)
Good one! Quite true.