Women empowerment has been a hot topic for decades. Of course, it is a much-needed movement with room to grow even with all the advancements we have made up to this point. The LGBT community has also been receiving a lot of love, increased equality and consideration in the recent years and continue on their mission as well. So that leaves one gender that has been standing by watching everyone else get empowered while they themselves struggle with defining their masculinity as straight men. Obviously, their issues aren’t about having more men in a boardroom or about equal pay, but it turns out that even the privileged man needs some empowerment in this day and age. And they are getting the attention they need with the #EvolveTheDefinition campaign.

Merriam-Webster’s definition of a man is “one possessing a high degree of qualities considered distinctive of manhood, such as courage, strength, and vigor,” with synonyms like manly, red-blooded, brawny and aggressive. Think of all the men in your life who don’t possess these traits. Some are soft-spoken and lean, and not all are into sports or tough. It must be difficult for them to live up to these expectations with such a limited definition of “manly.”

Well, now men are being given the opportunity to define their own masculinity. The days of men needing to act extra tough are gone! Welcome to the world of redefined machismo, where boys do cry, share their feelings, like to cuddle and have emotions! Yay!

It’s not a surprise that it has taken this long to start a campaign revolving around men sharing and communicating. Most men barely like to talk anyway, so imagine putting them in a room to discuss their masculinity – that’s pretty much asking them to compare … shoe sizes. Dreadful! I’ve never heard about any male gatherings or conferences offering a safe place to share and open up. Quite the opposite, actually, most androcentric events like poker nights and guys-night-out are primarily to get away from talking (and the talkers) and to really not talk about anything at all. However, now that the dialogue is open, it should attract a larger following, and that’s great news for the world. I truly believe the world is a reflection of the people who built it, and until now it has been predominantly males. So, it really doesn’t hurt to have men who are less aggressive, less macho, and comfortable being kind and compromising without the male ego getting in the way.

Women should also play a role in this process because most men need validation from women to encourage them to be themselves without losing their stature as “the man.” As empowered women ourselves, let us help these brothers out.

Honestly, between the pressure of manning-up, the male ego, and the boss in the underpants, I am not sure how this world is even functioning at this point.

Which leads me to this month’s question for the October issue:

Women, are you less attracted to a man who is in touch with his emotions?

Submit your answers to this month’s question or share your own experiences, questions and thoughts to Lady Nona by filling out the online form here: nonahood.to/askladynona. Your submissions will be anonymous.

Response of the Month

Last month, Lady Nona asked, “If it weren’t for having children, would being married be a priority for you?” Here is the response of the month:

“As soon as I realized my relationship with my husband wasn’t going to be a long-lasting one, I instantly started viewing him as my s—- donor. Much easier and less costly than going to a s—- bank, and at least I’ll have a free babysitter when I need one. Now, I focus on my kids and my career. I can find companionship and love through many other relationships, so marriage is not a priority for me, but having meaningful relationships is.” – LN Resident