So, I had blood work done recently. I have it done regularly as I have high cholesterol. The doctor wants to check to ensure my meds are working. This time I had a testosterone panel.
My numbers came back fine. Close to the middle-ish of the "normal" range for a man of my age.
I did need to get it checked. Overall I'm fine and there's no indication of medical issues based on my testosterone levels
A lot of men tend not to talk about this or other types of testing for themselves. I know my Dad never really did.
We should.
There's no shame in whatever your testosterone levels are, regardless of what the back or your mind or society tries to tell you.
Anyway - stay healthy. Be kind to yourself. Fight the lies society tells you.
"In patriarchal societies where #masculinity is coded as #power and control, men often try to get closer to women through power and control. The range of how this plays out is vast. It could be inconsequential, or it could end a woman’s life. This (...) may also be a reason why so many women in the “Man or Bear” debate chose the bear."
I recommend every man to read this piece by long-distance #cyclist Laura Killingbeck.
“Are there any other male friendly subs on here?” - online men’s rights groups as simultaneous communities of care and hate, inclusion and exclusion:
Luc S Cousineau, Leisure/Loisir (2023)
"There is, therefore, a kind of shared identity between myself and the collective avatar of men’s rights groups (the White male patriarch) that while fundamentally misaligned ideologically, compels me to examine the phenomena that draw people ‘like me’ into their ranks"
The new youth poll released by Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics finds a "pronounced" gap between the political views of young men and young women. Among young men, Biden's lead is six points; among young women, it's 33 points.
If young American men see Donald Trump as a role model for a masculinity they want to emulate and promote, then I wonder what kind of society they envisage building for themselves and everyone else.
Hey #gender studies scholars! I've cycled into town while listening to a podcast about 1920s horror fiction, I've attended an art-historical guided tour of a cinema, I'm having a cup of hot chocolate and a piece of extremely decadent chocolate mousse cake named "Elliot". And I am ready to do an in-depth interview about traditional cis-het Swedish #masculinity!
The social norm is constructed: not naturally occurring but created by the society in which it is found.
Hence there are no actions which in themselves are inherently #abnormal or universally condemned by all societies at all times. Deviance is thus situational and contextual.
Rough contact and impact peak around the age of seven. This is gradually replaced by peer monitoring in the years that follow.
Isabelle Clair: "Adolescence is a very normative age. At middle school, "there's a very tough relationship to what's the right thing to do".
Margot Déage: "Physical violence is much more prevalent in elementary/primary school, then decreases in middle school, and progressively through high school."
Margot Déage: "A girl who does not belong to a boy or a man can fall into the category of whore at any time, whatever her clothes or sexual practices."
Margot Déage: "Being in a position to say who’s a whore and who’s a good girl is a power in itself within the girls’ group, a power that is strongly mobilised by certain girls. The ones who can fall, in general, are the hardest on the matter."
"If a young woman does not follow the social injunction to have feelings in a sexual relationship, she knows that she risks being called to order, being punished. Or to feel shame or guilt. This burden of the social norm is primarily internalised."
"There is, in all circles, the threatening 'spectre of the faggot'. The determination to appear as 'a man, a real man' and secure one's masculinity, while escaping suspicion of homosexuality, which is considered demeaning and dangerous. Some gay boys from privileged backgrounds have told me that they were in a relationship with a girl at school to give the impression, to cover their tracks."
"If a young woman does not follow the social injunction to have feelings in a sexual relationship, she knows that she risks being called to order, being punished. Or to feel shame or guilt. This burden of the social norm is primarily internalised."
"There is, in all circles, the threatening 'spectre of the faggot'. The determination to appear as 'a man, a real man' and secure one's masculinity, while escaping suspicion of homosexuality, which is considered demeaning and dangerous. Some gay boys from privileged backgrounds have told me that they were in a relationship with a girl at school to give the impression, to cover their tracks."
"Is it possible my father, looking back, feels he was trapped by expectations, by the rules of manhood—or not so much trapped as formed, limited, incapable of feeling otherwise?" —Andrew Altschul for Esquire
I had previously said, after watching clips from Kat Williams' Club Shay Shay interview, that Kat was being mighty silly about the "men in dresses" thing. Basically he was like "they tried to make me wear a dress, and if you're a Black man in Hollywood they'll do this to you too, and if you refuse they'll blackball you."
Well, FD Signifier (of the #SignifiedBSides youtube channel) has a much better critique of Kat's comments: they're homophobic, obviously, and who benefits when Black men embrace and try to conform to a narrow ideal of brutish hyper-masculinity? White supremacy! What do police say when they killed a Black man? They feared for their life. What was the origin of so many white race riots that ended in a lynching? Accusations against Black men and boys of being scarily, violently hyper-masculine.
I love this guy's commentary, he has many great video essays. And I say that as a person who basically hates the video essay format.