There are only three basic types of men – which type are you?

Study from Canada There are only three basic types of men – which type are you?

Researchers in Canada asked men how they felt about their relationships. They found three basic masculinities that shape how men envision an intimate relationship. The study leader at the University of British Columbia analyzed detailed interviews with 92 heterosexual men aged 19 to 43. Despite the different cultural backgrounds, three basic patterns emerged. So women can choose only one of these three models.

Neo-Traditionalists: Often men follow traditional gender roles, such as seeing themselves as breadwinners and protectors in their relationships.

Equality: Men who desire an equal partnership. They value reciprocity and a fair share of give and take.

Progressives: Men work to increase gender equality in their partnerships by talking to their partners to decide who does what.

But how can the three types be concretely conceived? A few quotes should fill the terms with life. For the neo-traditionalists, time had stopped a little in the 1950s. Men have a clear understanding of their duties, but expect women to have a more traditional view of their roles. “Mostly she does the housework … I do the men’s work like washing the car. I also sometimes go shopping and paint around the house.” Man sees himself as a righteous patriarch: “Man is the head of the family … he is responsible for ensuring that relationships are equal.”

With egalitarianism, on the other hand, compromises must often be negotiated. It seems best to distribute duties using an Excel spreadsheet. “My girlfriend had conflicts as she cooked more often than me, that’s true,” says one representative of this type. “The way we’ve solved it is that we plan meal dates days in advance. For example, if she cooks for three days, I cook for three days. Then I think, with a tight schedule like this, there was a more scalable schedule. The tasks could be divided more evenly.”

The progressive model, on the other hand, requires a lot of thought, Justin says. “Being a person in an equal relationship takes work. It takes self-reflection, reflection on our society, reflection on what you want as a person, reflection on what your partner wants as a person, and it takes a lot of emotion. To introspect… to create equal relationships. , where vulnerability is valued, safety, intimacy is built.”

Exploring the reality of life

The project is the latest study in a men’s health research project examining the link between men’s masculinity and mental health. “We wanted to understand how different types of masculinities affect men’s relationships and their mental health. We found that these types of masculinity are associated with both unique advantages and challenges. The small project has a larger context. Gender roles, identities, and relationships changed rapidly in the 1980s. Discussions are for everyone. What is known, but there is a dearth of research on how that change is concretely reflected in relationships.”

Little is known about how young men today work to build relationships in their personal lives, Dr. Oliff’s entire research program aims to show the way to healthy relationships to improve the health of men, their partners and their families. Men who are active in gender equality and social justice achieve better mental well-being. Men who challenge existing principles of equality face isolation or criticism from others, which can also affect their mental health. In addition, small flaws came to light in the interviews: egalitarian men who uphold equality in principle have difficulties in dividing housework 50/50 in reality.

Source: Social Science & Medicine