Jezebel
This one goes out to Tad Safran (you remember, the guy living in the UK who wrote that British women were unkempt fatties?): Women who move to the UK from abroad find British men highly disappointing, writes Julia Llewellyn Smith for Telegraph. Jennifer Rohn moved to London from Idaho. She says British men are "witty and charming" but terrified of women: "Basically, they charm the pants off you but then they run away when they see your knickers."
Vanessa Muscara, 31, hails from Rome but lives in on and off in London. She says she she'll never settle down with an Englishman: "They never flatter you," she points out. "However much of an effort I made for my ex, he never said, 'You look great.' The best I'd get was, 'You look well.' It drove me crazy. Women complain about Italian men being sleazy, but what's wrong with a 'Ciao, bella' when you're looking your best?"
Ms. Llewellyn Smith calls British men "emotionally constipated" and notes that they have fully "embraced the cowardly art of text-messaging." The women she interviewes do try and muster up some praise for the Brits: "British men are more articulate and amusing than Americans," Jennifer Rohn admits. Adds Maryam, 31, who moved to London from Iran four years ago: "They have what we call 'clean eyes.' They don't stare at other women when their wife isn't there - unlike the Spanish." She also says: "If they weren't so lazy, they'd be fantastic." So what's up across the pond? Are the guys really so terrible? Do we have James Bond to blame for our unrealistic image of the Brit as a dashing charmer? Sure, it's a sweeping generalization, but between Tad Safran, Jude Law and the men the ladies in the article had the misfortune of encountering, are British men the worst? Guess a foxy accent isn't nearly enough.
The trouble with British men [Telegraph]
Earlier: British Lass Responds To Lady-Basher Tad Safran
"Sexist Of The Year" Tad Safran Has No Shame
Man Named "Tad" Insults Women On Both Sides Of Pond
Comments
I guarantee you that Clive Owen is fabulous.
I want a(nother) Frenchman. That is all. The one I had made me feel like a goddess.
What is it with all the British men and their kinky requests waaaaaaaaaaaaay too soon? Just me?
I lived in the UK for four months, and the only guy I hooked up with was from South America... Go figure!
"Unlike the Spanish..."
Damned Spaniards with their damned dirty eyes...
I have a date with a Brit this week.
Clive has to be fabulous. He his in my mind anyway....
I nominate "emotionally constipated" for phrase of the day. Twice so far! Where else can we work it in?
but... but...
noooooooooooooooooo
@Twilly: I refuse to believe otherwise.
yes. englishmen suck in bed. i've personally conducted a small, but reliable study that has conclusively proven this fact. a smaller sample size has also shown that italians aren't half bad and aussies use too much tongue whilst kissing.
i'll stick with my boy from wisconsin, thank you. the accent is hilarious and he always wants to feed me cheese.
@mllej: A la Japanese, surpression breeds kink?
As someone whose last two relationships were with Brits, let me assure you that yes, they are emotionally constipated. Hot as hell though.
@braak: I'm sorry, but I HATE to be stared at by hoards of Hispanic dudes who mutter dirty things in Spanish under their breath while hanging in big groups cuz they're to shit-scared to hit on you on their own. Screw that noise.
I only dated one British dude for like, 1/2 a second. He was sweet & gentlemanly and we only ever kissed. But it was a damn good kiss.
@erma66: Yeah when I lived there I ended up hooking up with a scottish guy! The british were kinda boring.
Men from continental Europe are oh-so-hot, if you can find one who isn't sleazy.
I do love British men, although I have to agree with the above statements. Laughing is HUGE for me, and most have that great dry sense of humor.
@PinkSoxHat: I second that.
I loved my British boys...but never stuck around long enough to find out if they were emotionally constipated or whatnot.
@BiscuitDoughJones: I do too, babe. And I find it filthy that they do it with such pervasiveness. It's gross and just nasty.
Bear in mind that Sean Connery was Scottish, George Lazenby was Australian, Timothy Dalton was Welsh (if you want to split hairs) and Pierce Brosnan was Irish.
@mllej: nope! def not just you! Been there, and he was the worst ever on top of that
hehe "on top"
I know plenty of guys here who are emotionally constipated. So can I least have emotional ineptitude with a cool accent?
I've never dated a British bloke. Though, the large preponderance of males that hit on me (who are not American) are Irish. Go figure.
@nowimpissed: I found the exact opposite in my own study. All my listed Brits were pretty damn good in the sack. American men tend to fizzle for me. But I'm also not trying for relationships with either so that might skew my results.
I wish I had the experience to comment on this particular topic.
@Macloserboy: So the English are the only ones who suck, eh?
Excuse me, but my husband, Colin Firth, is British and he most definitely does NOT suck.
@SinisterRouge: ugh. even though i absolutely love the country of greece, i don't think i will ever go there again without male companions. seriously. i was FOLLOWED DOWN THE STREET being heckled. i really, really wanted to ask them the last time that that actually worked.
granted, i'm sure i stood out, but really. following me down the street? NOT OKAY.
I live in England and was just dumped by my boyfriend of three years, who is English. Total blessing in disguise! Emotionally constipated doesn't even begin to describe him. When the best compliment you can get is that you look 'fine', and your 25th birthday present is a gift certificate to a discount home store, you know you probably haven't found the love of your life. But (sigh), I'm a sucker for the accent.
@lalaland13: I prefer "emotionally liberated," thank you very much. I don't have a cool accent, but I'm twice as witty as any Brit and my teeth are straight.
"They have what we call 'clean eyes.' They don't stare at other women when their wife isn't there
Is she actually complaining that they don't oggle other women when their significant other isn't around? Cause in my book, that's a good thing.
@SinisterRouge: Whew! I was scared you were gonna think I was dissing on your people. Which, BTW, plenty of other types of dudes travel in packs and eye-rape women, and they ALL suck. I'm looking at you, Yale fratties!
My bf is Irish. I'll take an Irish boy over a Limey any day.
Ah, THIS is my arena. I will tell you from a wealth of personal experience that British men are just like American men, in general. They have a harder time keeping it up, but make up for it by drunkenly whispering sexy things (call me "Hen" in a Glaswegian accent and I will cream myself, even though I know better). Give them half a hand job and they will usually recover.
I've had cracking sex with British dudes.
Ususal dumb Safran-esque accounts of "these Englishmen suck" are done by women who have slept exclusively with a certain kind of upper class guy.
And now I'm going to back out of this comments thread before I get driven NUTS by big bad lazy generalisations.
Meh.
I married a Brit! He's not emotionally constipated and tells me when I look hot! That being said... I think he's a diamond in the rough and I was lucky enough to find one whose mum raised him right. Oh, and his mum's from Trinidad so there's some spice in him as well. And yes, he's awesome in the sack. But he's the only Brit i ever hooked up with, so I think I just got lucky.
I remember a few years back when a pre-Chris Martin Gwyneth Paltrow made similar remarks about British men and caught all KINDS of hell for it. Not that I like Gwyneth...I'm just sayin.
@BiscuitDoughJones: Seconded! I have to ask: Have the hissing, the whistling, the dirty comments, the unwanted advances EVER worked for those guys? Do they really expect me to stop in my tracks and strike up a conversation? I assume something as prevalent as their street harrassment must produce results, or they would give up, right?
@BiscuitDoughJones: I hate that too! I much prefer the british version of staring at you politely from across the bar and then working up the nerve to approach you. They always have something witty and complimentary to say, and you feel flattered, not skeezed out.
I wish I didn't love British dudes so much. God, they bedevil me.
@onthecornerofparkerandwoolf: That happened to me in Italy. Loved the country, creeped out by the men.
I noticed the laziness when I lived in England. Every clubbing night the guys would STARE at the girls, but never made any moves. It was always for the girl to start things. The friendly boys were also South African or Irish.
Clean Eyes! Yes, why can't men get this one thing under control. It's like, I know you appreciate the other women and I'd think there was something wrong with you if you didn't, but can't you show me a little respect? Impulse control, LEARN IT!
@BiscuitDoughJones: Well, so do I. It's practically an epidemic around here, and it makes me feel extremely uncomfortable.
@bowleserised: Yeah, your type would be driven nuts by lazy generalizations. You people named Bowleserised are all the same.
@onthecornerofparkerandwoolf: I was followed in Italy and I *was* traveling with a male. Most people thought we were on our honeymoon and still I was groped, grabbed at, followed, and had some guy whacking off in a train at me.
@Gumbina80: They don't expect it to "work." The goal is not to get a date. It's just to assert their dominance over you as men. Putting you in your place. Reminding you that, to them, your purpose in life is looking good.
Hmmm, those symptoms sound familiar. Is "British Men" the new code for "college guys"??
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