Gloria Steinem Quotes

Men walk this tightrope where any sign of weakness illicits shame, and so they're afraid to make themselves vulnerable for fear of looking weak.

If you're embarrassed because you have some notion about how men are supposed to behave, and it doesn't include weeping, then you have some personal work to do.

Just as women are afraid of receiving, men are afraid of giving.

I think we're scared of intimacy - all of us, a little bit.

I have this theory that alpha males are actually not alpha males. They're actually very scared - particularly scared of competition from a lot of men.

I think that many people are ashamed when they feel afraid. There's this thing in our society that you're not allowed to feel scared. You have to be a man and put on a brave face, but we all have fears.

Most men have an insecurity of some sort. But we're brought up to believe that we can't show them.

With wives, men hide behind the air of bravado, which is basically a defence mechanism, I think. Clever creatures, women. Very clever.

Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?

A lot of guys have muscles. A lot of strong men in this world. I think it's important to show that even under all this strength there's a fragile side, a side that can be affected.

Women in love are less ashamed than men. They have less to be ashamed of.

The only men who aren't in fear of women's reactions are usually men who aren't born or who are dead.

Men can't bear to see women cry.

Most men are fragile.

Hollywood is run by men who are big on vulnerability.

A lot of writers, probably because they're sensitive, which makes them want to be writers, have fears about their masculinity, so they overcompensate by having an interest in boxing and tough-guy things.

Black men struggle with masculinity so much. The idea that we must always be strong really presses us all down - it keeps us from growing.

Part of the problem in today's world is that many men are taught that they have to 'make it' before they should even consider committed to a healthy partnership.

Women, on behalf of men all over the world who feel similar to me, please forgive us for all the ways that we have not relied on your strength. And now I would like to ask you to formally help us, because we cannot do this alone. We are men. We're going to mess up. We're going to say the wrong thing. We're going to be tone-deaf. We're more than likely, probably, going to offend you. But don't lose hope. We're only here because of you, and like you, as men, we need to stand up and become your allies as you fight against pretty much everything. We need your help in celebrating our vulnerability and being patient with us as we make this very, very long journey from our heads to our hearts.

I figured if I played in the no-man's land of intimacy, I would learn to be a performer.

I don't really like to share deep issues or anything like that. I have a problem with that. I don't really like to talk about some stuff.

You know, men are very tough and they don't want to ever say that they need a break or that they are in pain.

I think blokes definitely sweat on most things when it comes to being questioned by women.

It's 2016. Men are more vulnerable than ever.

Sometimes hiding behind masculinity with your homies can get in the way of having a real dialogue.