Strong masculine characters - why we need them in books and real life 💪🏼

Once upon a time, there was a weak man who started to cry when his girlfriend was mean to him. 

Can you imagine anyone finishing this book? Do you hear the collection of books hastily being closed and thrown in the corner? You should, because that's probably what would happen.

We need strong, masculine characters. As much as society scoffs at the idea of the ultra-masculine man and calls him toxic, I can't think of many television or book series with soft, teddy bear-like men that stand the test of time (or interest) for those seeking entertainment. It certainly wouldn't keep my attention. There's something about a deserving SOB getting a punch in the face by a 'fuck around and find out' kinda guy that keeps me intrigued, much more than a character that suggests the two characters keep calm and talk it out. 🥱

I used to jump on the toxic masculinity bandwagon and truly believed that old, white men were potentially ruining the world. But now, not so much. Now, I realize that you could be any color, race, or sex and be an asshole. And yes, women can be assholes too. Trust me, there's a lot of them. Take politics, for example.

Some may complain that my Hernandez series has too much 'toxic masculinity' and that's fine. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and everyone has different tastes. I don't scoff at yours (at least, not to your face 🤭) and you shouldn't criticize mine. 

Ultimately, we need more strong, masculine characters in books, television, and life.

My characters display 'toxic masculinity' for some readers (and I don't care)

I first heard the term 'toxic masculinity' years ago and thought it was interesting. I read a book on the topic. I considered that maybe there were some legitimate points.

All this was while I also considered how so many men were not very manly anymore. That's not to say that men, in my opinion, should be crass cavemen either. However, I had left a city where many of the men I encountered were kind of soft and sensitive in an awkward way. Was there too much estrogen in the water? I had to wonder.

Fast forward a few years, and I discovered that all the books I was writing, the movies and television shows I was watching, and the men I generally was intrigued by would fall under the category of 'toxic masculinity'. I now see it as a woke term meant to shame men for...well, being men. 

I'll never forget the time that a woman ripped into me on Facebook, saying I was a misogynist. She felt that I hated other women. I missed the memo where I was supposed to hate men. You see if I said anything against another woman, I was a terrible person, but if I said something against a man, I was probably stating a fact. At least, that's the impression she gave me in her comments.

But let's get back to my books. If you've read any of the books in my Hernandez series, you already know that a lot of testosterone is flowing through the chapters. You'll find aggression, bullying, violence, and all the things that tend to ruffle the feathers of those who'd prefer to see men being weak.

So, if you like male characters who are more likely to punch someone in the face than to shed a tear, you might want to check out my series. You might find some alpha dogs there.

And if you prefer gentle and sensitive men, go watch a Hallmark movie.