I'm not even sure what masculine means - I don't drink or fight or even have much in common with masculine men. I'm solidly left wing, don't buy into Dana's rubbish about toxic masculinity not existing etc etc etc
Most of my interests/hobbies in life would very popular with women as well, like reading or writing. I don't particularly have much interest in sports or shooting or (fill in the blank).
For some reason though, I always notice a strong correlation between how much my life improves and also how much I adapt a masculine frame/mindset in life. I'm not sure why, but it...just works.
I ruminate less. I do more. I even feel like I'm moving forward in life instead of feeling sad or sorry for myself or anything like that.
People in general just respect me more as a masculine man. My words carry more weight. I feel less anxious about speaking up in general or doing what I feel is right.
Looking on it now, the more headaches in life I seemed to have the more expressive or feminine I tried to be. It just seemed to tire me and left me open to being hurt again and again.
Are men less masculine in general now? I think they are, but I'm not sure if it was a change in the right direction. So many men feel confused, isolated and lost in their place in the world and I wonder if this ight be one of the many reasons why.