Women's Advantage in Establishing Relationships
How do you think that women have a better chance than men to establish better relationships? What does the playing field for men have to adjust to level the friendship?
Women have a greater chance than men to establish relationships, mostly because their friendship lacks rules and roles. Their relationship is sometimes formless, has no routines, but it grows particularly with deeper relationships. Women are like their loved ones or relatives related to their mates. They call each other sweet names and make their relationship so exciting as possible (Vernon, 2010).
Friendships have wrecking moments, and women in friendship are not an exception. They will clash, throw insults, degrade each other, but unlike men, they will still leave room for better friendship. The secure connection created as well as the several things they share a lot in common such as men, fashion, books, family, and beauty will bring them closer to each other again.
Challenges in Women's Friendships
Not unless a female friend evokes awful feelings will a woman reconsider their relationships, but until then women know that in friendship there is betrayal, disappointment, and pain but the ability to wade through these pains determine how long the friendships last. Friendships wane because of all these mentioned challenges but women know how to keep going, and this is what differentiates them from men.
Often, women will neglect friendship when family or work consumes their time. They will need space when psyched up or times lack the energy to connect with their friends even when they need them most. But they know how to fix their mess because women know that friendship is priceless (Vernon, 2010). All this negates the things men do in their relationships. For men, deep connections or name calling is perceived as rather "gayish." Several men relationships do not last long because unlike women they have too little to discuss. However, to improve men relationship, men ought to realize how friends play a vital role in our lives and on top of that the male friendship stereotype ought to be fought from its roots.
Metrosexual Men and Male Friendship
How is the role of metrosexual men helping to forge a new pathway for male friendship?
Mark Simpson defined the metrosexual man as a single man with a higher disposable income, working and living in the urban center. These types of men are fashion-focused and like looking good (Pompper, 2010). However, the definition has narrowed down to include men not with high disposable income but the ones that still love looking good. In essence, they are typically a well-groomed bunch who are intentional about everything be it hair, face, chest, etc. They have one thing in common which is a coordinated outfit and more importantly have total appreciation for fashion, make a good impression, and simply look good before friends and others.
The metrosexual guy has gay characteristics, but he is not necessarily gay as most straight men fall into this bracket. This means that society is changing and the emerging metrosexual concept is creating a different playing field in as far as male friendship is concerned. With the need to look smart and impress, men of different sexual orientations are finding several things to share about (Pompper, 2010).
The Impact of Fashion and Beauty
Women are more connected mainly because fashion and beauty bring them together, and with the onset of men who fall into the same category as women, it is more likely that male relationships will grow. Metrosexual men desire to be desired not just by women but everyone around them, including men. This thing has changed the game of fashion a great deal because today's male focuses on becoming everything to themselves just like women have been for decades. And with the fact that women have stopped being women for men, men (metrosexuals) are realizing the need to become men who define their value. This has, in the process, created one thing in common amongst men, both straight and non-straight, and is more likely to connect with friends than before.
References
Pompper, D. (2010). Masculinities, the metrosexual, and media images: Across dimensions of age and ethnicity. Sex Roles, 63(9-10), 682-696.
Vernon, M. (2010). The meaning of friendship. New York, (NY): Palgrave Macmillan, 23-60.
