How the Myth That Men Fear Intimacy Contributes…

How the Myth That Men Fear Intimacy Contributes to the Disposability of Men and Boys

“Fear of intimacy…isn’t that what you call being a man?” Yesterday, I was talking about the GMP article, “Sex, Marriage, and a Fear of Intimacy”, and that was the response I got. Sitting in a Panera with a group of women, I was watching them all nod in agreement like some bad episode of a reality show. No, I’m not going to write an open to letter to the women in Panera but I would like to explore the myth that only men fear intimacy. This myth continues to be disabling for men in their attempts to be better understood, accepted, and seen.

Ladies, men aren’t afraid of intimacy. Let your guy know you honor him and respect his opinion, and he will open right up. What he’s concerned about is being lured into a vulnerable position and getting kneed in the groin, verbally or otherwise. He considers that risk pretty carefully, using his own experience and that of other men in his life as points of reference.

Another myth – men can’t communicate – continues despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary in business, social, and political settings.