KELLY

While on my day off recently, I went outside to pick up some stuff that was on the clothes line. That's a chore I hate, not so much because of the things I would be holding but because I had to get up and go outside.

Anyway, as I unclipped the ahem, ladies' garments, it dawned on me how maama man-ish I might look. While most women will applaud a man willing to do that, I'm not sure if it would be one of those character traits the ladies put as priority when choosing a husband!

There's a thin line between being a helpful man and a maama man. Taking underwear off the line - helpful. Neatly folding them - maama man! Suggesting your wife/girlfriend doesn't look right in a particular outfit - helpful. Telling her the colour scheme is all wrong and you describe it using words like pass? - maama man! Cooking for her - helpful. Quarrelling about how much rice grain she tief out before it finish - maama man!

Nothing wrong with it

Now, I must point out that dependent on your point of view, there's nothing wrong with being a maama man. For one, it means a man will always look after himself and his surroundings. But it's not going to get him anywhere with the ladies who prefer more manly fellows. As for the effeminate hombres, they are another matter.

I know a few fellows who have been deemed gay because their voices were a little high-pitched and they had the bad tendency of flashing their hands when they spoke. Ironically, they had more girls than I did. (Just for the record, some priests have more girls than I do. But that's another story).

Things manly men can do

I'm not saying that you have to walk around with a 'bad-boy' look on your face, have plenty of tattoos and be able to bench press twice your weight, but there are some things 'manly' men don't do.

Admitting you are afraid sometimes - manly. Running from lizards - girly! Let's say you meet a male classmate from high school you haven't seen in years. Greeting him with a hug - manly. Jumping up and down like a five-year-old on Christmas morning to greet him - girly! Crying at an epic war movie - manly. Crying while watching Titanic - girly!

After all this, being a maama man or an effeminate male doesn't necessarily mean you're 'funny' some might say where there is smoke there is fire! So there you have it. Gents, whichever group you happen to find yourself in, if you're comfortable then, run with it.

If you have your own theories and rationalisations, by all means, let me know at: daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com