Poll Finds What Makes Men More Uncomfortable Than Crying
While concepts of masculinity are ever-evolving, many men still find some things uncomfortable. That's according to a new YouGov poll, at least, which shows large percentages of generational men in the U.K. are uneasy with certain expressions of physical or emotional vulnerability.
For example, 48 percent of men surveyed said they'd be uncomfortable crying in front of a friend of the same gender, far higher than the 18 percent of women who said the same. Forty-five percent said they wouldn't feel comfortable saying "I love you" to a relative of the same gender, compared to 17 percent of women. And 42 percent said they wouldn't want to share a bed with a friend of the same gender.
What makes men uncomfortable?
— YouGov (@YouGov) September 8, 2023
Being naked in a men's changing room: 49%
Crying in front of male friends: 48%
Saying "I love you" to a male relative: 45%
Going to a gay bar: 44%
Putting sunscreen on a male friend's back: 42%
Sharing a bed with a male friend: 42%
Wearing pink: 31% pic.twitter.com/Avl8y9Doqq
Other types of interactions that scored high on the uncomfortable chart include being naked in a male changing room (49 percent of men), applying sunscreen to a male friend's back (42 percent of men), and wearing the color pink (31 percent of men).
Although attitudes about the LGBTQ community have changed considerably over the years, 44 percent of men still said they would be uncomfortable going to a gay bar. Meanwhile, 17 percent said they would feel uncomfortable even hugging a male friend.
Some of these attitudes were split by generation. Men ages 65 and up, for example, were less likely to feel comfortable wearing pink (42 percent), sharing a bed with a male friend (52 percent), or going to a gay bar (59 percent) than their younger counterparts. Meanwhile, men 18 to 24 were more likely to say they feel uncomfortable crying in front of a male friend (58 percent) or being naked in a male locker room (74 percent). Others, however, showed little variation.
You can check out all the results over on YouGov.