Men Hold Each Other Tenderly

Look, the world is a cruel and bitter place. Bad things happen, literally all the time. And let’s be specific, these bad things often happen directly as a result of toxic masculinity and the patriarchy.

But sometimes, rarely, the world can be sweet and good. In the close embrace of an old friend. In a tender glance between strangers. In touches, a gentle hand on your back, a friendly arm slung around your shoulders. Come, join me today in celebrating tenderness.

I think we can all agree that men’s sports are pretty often a breeding ground for toxic masculinity. And I truly believe the world would be at least slightly better, on the whole, if the default vibe between men was one of tenderness and not aggression. So why not take this moment to showcase some gentle and loving interactions between men?

Can I petition the World Cup final to just be 90 minutes of men cuddling and stroking each others backs and watching ASMR videos together? That would be pretty sweet, thanks.

Let’s not forget that men are statistically way less likely to seek out help for mental health issues. So yes. Good. Hugs are good. Touching foreheads is good. Being held in a moment of exhaustion and vulnerability is good.

To be clear, I’m not trying to sexualize these men. We don’t need that here. I spent all day at work looking through photos of men holding each other, and it was a very pure and wholesome experience. Let’s not make this weird, okay?