Real Men, Baby Wearing and Lipstick.
I’m sure by now most of you will have seen the rant that has been doing the rounds from Pierce Morgan regarding the emasculating effect of men in baby carriers.
For our international readers who are not familiar with Pierce Morgan he is by all accounts the quintessential British male, brimming with masculine qualities. No doubt just the thought of something like using a baby carrier would have him sprouting chest hair, Sponge Bob style just through shear will power because thats just how manly he is.
I however am just like everyone else, an average Joe doing his best to be the best father he can be.
I’ve never seen fatherhood as a vanity project or a way for me to assert my masculinity. Never have I felt the need to fell a tree with one of my daughters under my arm or wrestle a bear whilst smoking a pipe and reading the kids a bed time story just so I can tell my friends what a real man I am.
I’ve always tried to do what is best for my kids, and to me that’s taking every opportunity to bond with them and keep them as close as possible at all times.
Call me a women or a lesser man. You may even think me feminine, frankly I couldn’t care less. My kids love me and know they can rely on me always and unconditionally. I carried my youngest wherever I could, I made a fool of my self for my kids enjoyment at every opportunity presented to me and yes I’ve been a muse for make-up application. Hell I’ve even done quite a number of gym sessions in rather fetching shades of nail polish.
And I do these things purely out of love not a desire for external masculine acceptance.
There’s more to being a man than caring about outside opinion. A real man puts his kids needs first and above his need to build a facade of out dated masculine cheesiness.
Here’s my proof that I’m a real man, the type that carries his kid through the world to keep them close and keep them safe, the type who doesn’t give a monkeys if it puts a smile on his daughters face and a bright red lippy on his lips.
Come on chaps, don’t be shy, post your parental pictures of real men to put the honourable Mr Morgan to shame. Don’t let me be the only one, I don’t know if my fragile male ego can take it!