If you were to describe what it means to be a man in one word, what would if be and why?

"I would choose vulnerable.

Who you truly are, whatever your emotions are whatever you are dealing with you are able to express that in a way that you are able to touch move and inspire another human being instead of making them wrong or making them feel belittled or wronged or any of the emotions that we want to tie our ego."

Word: Vulnerable
Occupation: Department Manager
Age: 42
From: Kansas City, Kansas

Man sitting in a chair leaned back with his arms resting in his lap with his hood up.

Who is the manliest person you know and why?

"My mom is the manliest person I know because she is the very definition of what a man is supposed to be. What I mean by that is being of African American descent I got ahold of something called the "Willie Lynch Letters." I think all men should read this because it really puts in perspective how we have been indoctrinated to be something we truly are not. In those letters, Willie talks about how you take civilized negro you tar and feather him, you quarter him up by the horse and you pull him apart and whip him, in front of the mother, the children, and the uncivilized negro. What happens from this is there is a paradigm shift that occurs between the men and the women.

What happens is the woman will put herself out front to protect their sons, they will have their sons be physically strong yet mentally weak. So, I feel like part of what is happening to not only men in particular but to our generation of human beings as it stands right now. Is that we have a civilization of people who have gotten behind the woman and is listening to the lead of the women instead of being who they naturally are...

Until we get to the point where we are mentally strong and we are aware of who we are, especially as men and we start being the leaders that women need us to be instead of them being out front and sheltering and protecting us."

Do you think masculinity has an impact on society? Why or why not?

"It does and it has a negative effect on society. Uhm... why I say that is because the masculine nature is that of conquering and that of conflict, that of one upping someone else. It is like this constant pissing battle, it really is..."

What advice would you give your younger self about masculinity?

"You are not your circumstances, you are not the events that took place in your life and you don't have to be what you've seen on television. It is okay to be who you authentically are whether you like Jimmy Hendrix, the Doors, or whatever. Stand in who you are and be proud of that, and never ever sell yourself short for who you really are or who you could be, and love everyone."

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The Start

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“Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got to keep going. “ ~ Chantal Sutherland