15 times positive masculinity helped uplift people

The world doesn't need gender roles and stereotypes but it's going to take a while to undo centuries of conditioning. Toxic masculinity is at the core of many issues we face on a daily basis. From being labeled a sissy for wearing a mask, boasting about nuclear firepower as the world faces a potential world war or mocking wearing pink-colored clothes, toxic masculinity is chipping away at the humanity in the world. While masculinity is in itself a set of stereotypes, there have been wholesome instances where it has been channeled towards good causes and uplifting people. While these are rare, one Reddit user asked people to share instances where people exhibiting their masculinity was a positive thing. Reddit user u/Acolyte_000 asked: "We hear a lot about toxic masculinity, but what are your favorite examples of positive masculinity?" 

Here are some of the top replies we came across:

1. Are you buying drinks?

My husband switched seats on an airline with a teenage girl being harassed by an old creep. He's very large, bearded, and wears metal t-shirts. He plopped down next to creeper and said "you said you were buying drinks?" -u/sagegreenpaint78

2. Trucker at your service

Using pickup trucks to help others out. Need help moving? In the Ditch? Stuck in the snow? Gimme 5 mins to throw some pants on and I'm there. u/Kate_be_my_gf

A lot of guys around me just drive around in their pickups during snowstorms to pull out people who are stuck. Or they carry chainsaws with them to cut trees that are blocking the roadways- u/anoncop1 

3. Hockey players cheering figure skaters

I’m a figure skater. We share the ice with hockey players, and I cannot get over how nice it feels when hockey players get rowdy and bang on the glass and cheer when you’re doing something cool, the same way a hockey fan would at an exciting hockey game. It’s hilarious but it’s also confidence-inducing. When it first happened, I thought they were trolling me. I just rolled my eyes and continued my practice. But when I got off the ice, I was swarmed with questions like:
“HOW DO YOU DO ALL THAT WITHOUT PADDING OR A HELMET?!”
“HOW DO YOU LAUNCH YOURSELF INTO THE AIR LIKE THAT?”
“AREN’T YOU AFRAID OF FALLING?”
“DON’T YOU GET DIZZY SPINNING THAT FAST?”
It’s wholesome as f*ck. They’re genuinely intrigued by this sport. A bunch of dudes who make their own sport even more entertaining by beating the shit out of each other has no shame in getting rowdy to hype up their figure skating counterparts. u/Reddit

4. That's a leader

I had a boss that was a real muscle head, but every time someone was having a bad/rough time he'd suggest we take a long lunch and go with him to the gym. He did this with multiple co-workers, taught a lot of us how to properly squat and deadlift. This was like 7 years ago, and I still squat and deadlift regularly, whereas before I would simply just use the treadmill and maybe the circuit room at the gym. Not saying I'm in peak physical condition, but certainly in a better spot after him helping. u/Moots_point 

5. Jar-opener

I lived in a house with three women. My jar opening game is unparalleled. u/Patricksaurus 

6.  Hairy and sweaty guardian angels

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, I was a 13-year-old girl alone on a Greyhound bus from Florida to Georgia. For the first 4 hours, the creepiest hobo in the universe sat next to me, playing with himself and randomly trying to grab me. Who was 13 years old and alone on the bus. Then these two guys who were going all the way to Washington State and were going to be on that bus for 4 days to get to a logging job, boarded the bus. One was a 17-year-old kid and the other one was a 45-year-old man.

They ousted the hobo and sat with me the rest of the way, the 17-year-old sharing stories about growing up in Miami in a very intolerant Latino household, and the 45-year-old Man spent that time showing me pictures of his daughters and telling me all about them and how hard he was working to make sure they had everything they needed. They made sure I got dinner that night, they made sure I got breakfast the next morning. That trip could have been a horror story for me at the tender age of 13 but those two dudes? They were, to put it simply, my hairy and sweaty guardian angels. Norwegian blonde dude and Latino kid, it has been decades since this went down, but I still remember you both and always will. u/FlamingJuneinPonce

7. Motorcycle dudes 

When scary big motorcycle dudes use their scary big manly man attributes to protect children and generally just do good deeds. u/rockytopbarbie

8. Gym Bros

Gym bros randomly appearing to spot or encourage is hilarious and positive. u/defintely_not_pete.

I remember when I was a little younger, like 19 or so, I had just started going to the gym frequently and was trying to start deadlifts. I obviously had no idea what I was doing and felt mad self-conscious, but some random huge dude came up to me, gave me help with my form and technique, and then just wandered off. That always stood out to me and really helped me get more comfortable in the gym. u/Stinkystrangler

9. No grudges

Being able to move on from a fight and become friends again. u/Positive_oliver.  

10. Dads hosting a tea party 

Manly dads who patiently sit on the floor and have a tea party with their toddler daughters. u/marcus_borealis

11. Appreciating a woman mechanic

So, a couple of months into dating my boyfriend he bought a truck. Well, it started making a grinding noise a few weeks later. Some context, I'm a female mechanic. So, when I went over that weekend I offered to take a look at it. We did some grocery shopping for supper. And then when we got back I started to work on it. He made supper. And then when he was done he came out and sat with me. My ex wouldn't even let me work on his truck with him because he didn't like that I knew more about it than him. And when I first met my Bf he told everyone we met that I was a mechanic. u/phoenix0119

12. Biggest hug

In high school one time, a guy gave his guy best friend a birthday gift, and guy 2 loved it so much he gave guy 1 the biggest hug in the middle of class. I think everyone’s hearts melted. All guys should be that confident / allowed to be that confident. u/2curmudgeony 

13. He just stood there

I remember being on an airplane and this young mom with two kids flying by herself was struggling to get her bags from the overhead compartment and the person that was behind her was pushing her to move faster and expressing outward annoyance and this guy stepped up and got between her and the frustrated man and just stood there and stared him down until she was able to get all her bags down and move off the plane with her little kids. u/JellyAlternative3707

14. Hike buddy

Hiking at night is a passion of mine, but I don't feel safe doing it alone. I found out an old friend of mine also likes to hike at night, so we have been doing it a lot. I feel so safe with him. Just his presence removes a huge burden off my shoulders. I can relax with him in a way I can't otherwise. I know he is always looking out for my safety. I trust him to keep me safe. What a relief that is. It's life-changing in my world. u/BigFatBlackCat

15. World needs men like these

Years ago I saw this post on FB that a father was helping out his sons to cook his ex-wife's favorite dish and bake a cake for her birthday. I was a preteen at the time, I thought that's the kind of man I wanna be when I grow up. u/More-Masterpiece-561