Looking for somewhere to vacation this summer? How about Charlotte, North Carolina, recently named “America’s Manliest City”?
I’m sure it’s a lovely place, but the title drives me crazy. The Manliest City Competition, created by snack company Combos, is a great example of how our society uses labels like “manliness” and “girliness” to define acceptable behavior based on gender.
Let’s take a look at the Manliest City Competition criteria. Cities were ranked more manly based on such factors as:
1. The number of home improvement stores
2. The number of steak houses and power tools per capita, and
3. Manly occupations, including firefighters, construction workers, police officers, and EMT personnel.
I was with you 100% of the way until you said putting bacon in cupcakes was disgusting. IMO, there is nothing on the planet that could not be improved by the addition of bacon.
WTG on the rest of it, though!!!
Good thing that was the last line then! 🙂 This survey just goes to show that our culture still defines behaviors as “manly” or “womanly”. Sadly, the womanly stuff is usually the object of disdain, while the manly stuff is seen as awesome (dude).
@Statistical Freak Well, if you could buy them at “Alex’s Genderless Dessert Cafe”, you might be able to convince me to go for some bacon cupcakes.
Glad you liked the post!
@Jennifer – agreed! Seeing the stereotypical manly stuff as the ideal makes it pretty tough for guys who don’t conform to gender norms.
have you also noticed as well that some gum companies are releasing gum branded for men? it’s wrapped up in a sleek, black packaging. it’s so dumb that men are told they must feel emasculated if they buy pink gum.
I agree with StatFreak, a bacon cupcake would be awesome. Maybe the first time around.
I guess my husband would fail Combos’ test for manliness since he decorated our house, loves sushi and his favorite cupcake is red velvet (minus bacon), and I love me a good steak. Unlike the marketing team at Combos, neither of us are so insecure that we have to define our identities based on food preferences (and doesn’t that just create ANOTHER unhealthy relationship with food? we definitely don’t need more of that).
I think it would be funny if a whole pack of handywomen and female tradies went to a conference in this town. We could buy brushcutters, hammers and cable ties at the same time as we ate good food and got pedicures. I’d love that.
bacon cupcakes? This is something i must try.
Bacon cupcakes? I’d try one of those.