Discussion topic.

Women marry up, men marry down. In modern times, it becomes increasingly difficult for women to settle because women nowadays want a man who has higher level education, higher salary, higher social status.

I have noticed a trend in a handful of my girlfriends. They are attractive women who have postgraduate degrees, working in white collar jobs with middle to upper middle class salaries, and they have chosen to marry/date a man with traditionally masculine qualities.

By traditionally masculine qualities I mean that these men may not have as high of a salary or even the same level of education, but he has physical strength, street smarts, hands-on skills, social skills, athletic ability, a sense of protection. Typically these men can be found in jobs of law enforcement, military, emergency services, aviation, vocational trades or sports/fitness, essentially jobs that are not so academic but require a different set of skills. They tend to be more "rough and tumble" types of men. They have jobs that utilize their testosterone - jobs that require physical strength, aggression, stoicism, or adrenaline.

I have also noticed with these more traditionally masculine men, they could care less about women's intelligence and appreciate her femininity, domesticity and companionship. For certain modern women, this can be a relief in a world of feminized, neutral gender roles - she can utilize her womanhood and not feel like she has to compete with a man, because he doesn't care and he is not with her because he expects her to keep up. He treats her like a woman and only expects her softness and feminine qualities.

And for some women who feel the pressure to be masculine because of "equality," this is a relief.

Has anyone noticed this trend? It could be among more conservative cultures, but I find there are some liberal career women who DO choose a man with more traditional values, because she actually wishes for this gender dynamic.