No link here, I just have a few things to say. I am not a writer, I have no interest in making a website or a blog to contain this one post but I'd like interested people to have an opportunity to see and comment on it, so here goes.

I am a 43 year old fully masculinised male human. My voice is very deep and raspy in the mornings, and at night when I take off my boots it smells like the grave. I fully understand that most of society finds me unattractive, I also find large hairy bearded gruff men unattractive, fortunately for me there are several women who are attracted to such people, one at a time is all I need, and there have been eight.

I have had three long form relationships, 7 years, 3 years and 5 years. I have one child, a 13 year old boy, and he is the very reason for my continued existence.

Now to the meat of it - I am the 'man up' man, I take that back. You may feel repressed by it, and I do not blame you one little bit but that is who I AM. I can not say that it comes from inside, that it is born in me, or that it was forced on me by society, and to me that question is kind of irrelevant. For better or worse, I suck it up.

The guy who always shows up for work, sick or healthy? That's me. Never go to a doctor, not in years. I have had some bad issues over the years with my health, but over time I have either stopped noticing them or they have just gone away. I see myself as kind of solid all the way through, like skin stretched over a wooden mannequin, I am like a tree, only the outside, only my bark is truly alive.

I WILL sacrifice myself, I will give anything I have, for my child. But there is more, it's deeper. The guy that jumps into the water to save a strangers child? he is my brother. The man running IN to the burning building? My brother. This is my reason, this is what I am FOR, and I am proud.

I believe one thing wrong with gender at the moment, is the loss of male lore, the things we never said out loud, or in mixed company. There was a lot more to that then just not swearing. I spent 15 years in machine shops, i learned my trades from men 20 and 30 years older then me. Side by side, working. They set an example I strived to live up to - I wanted to be strong.

So - I just want you all to think - what if we allowed ourselves to believe in strong, honest men? What if our police 'gave no fucks' for their own safety but would take any bullet to save a citizen? When there is danger, you often see the feminized peace keepers holding back the crowd and saying 'no heroes' BUT, I AM a hero, that is what nature has crafted me for, I AM that strong, honest man.

I am perfectly comfortable in hot, dirty conditions. I am just fine with machines that could take my arm off. My dad lost a finger to a punch press, it never stopped him.

So to sum up - I am a valid person, I was born and bred for this, for sacrifice, for the common good. In many situations I can be a good guy to have around, I'm not pretty to look at but I am beautiful, if you see me in the right light.