When I was growing up, I was one of the boys that was teased and picked on for being feminine. I was always the boy who loved things that your average boy wouldn’t like. I was the ‘horse lover’ that every class had, often enough it was a girl in every case but in my class, I was the horse lover. It deviated from the usual trend and what your average boy should be.
Ageing in an era with more open minds, a lot more diversity especially in larger cities like London, things have started to change…
I am a Lynx ambassador and together we are trying to beat this stereotype that everyone seems to have on masculinity. There seems a lot of pressure to be this idealistic six-pack male that ensures that you are desired by every man and woman out there, regardless of your sexuality. It isn’t all about shirtless photos on Instagram and being this idealistic gym bunny that leads to a growth of thousands of followers based on pure vanity. It’s about being real, stepping out from behind the social media and tackling real life issues that many guys feel day to day.
There is a huge inferior complex in the air, that many guys are too afraid to show their true selves, because it isn’t thought of as normal to many other men and women. Searching through Google, there are so many questions of real men asking “Is It Okay For Guys To…” in this search to find some acceptance through the internet – a place where everyone in the twenty first century finds confines in.
Doing your eyebrows was one huge factor I know a lot of guys struggle to admit they do. When I first started getting my waxed, I felt super self-conscious but my eyebrow therapist said she often sees more guys coming to get their eyebrows done nowadays. Even more so, I have been able to noticed when guys have had their eyebrows done. I can vouch for the fact that I notice at least 10 men around me on the tube that have had their eyebrows done and that’s just in a single journey. Especially with the trends of man-scaping to look your prime, it seems like cleaning up your eyebrows is the normal thing for guys to do now.
Another thing I want to talk openly about is guys wearing makeup. Is it okay for guys to wear makeup? Yes, it hundred percent is. There is no where that says it shouldn’t be worn by men. There is just this preconception that it is only meant for women. Let’s be honest, contouring and and highlighting was not thought up by a lady in her sleep… These techniques have stemmed from men doing drag makeup, to enhance their features to look more defined.
If a lady has the right to cover her flaws and enhance her features then a man has every right to do so too. I’m not afraid to admit the fact I use it myself. I use concealer to cover up my darker pigments under my eyes from a long, tiring week. People certainly cannot tell I am wearing it, often people will glance over when I am going about my daily life and nobody thinks differently. It has become the norm, especially when your top end designer brands like Tom Ford are selling concealers marketed ‘For Men‘, in hope there will be more acceptance in the matter.
Nowadays, it is all about looks. There is no denying it. There shouldn’t be discrimination again someone wanting to look their best. Makeup was being used on men long before we care to admit. Actors and models from whom we admired growing up, they all wore makeup too. Most guys who wear make-up now are just a bit late to the trend, but are making it more socially acceptable. I am sure many guys day to day do wear makeup, but it just information they would not voluntarily express to their friends and family.
Recently, my sister’s dance group performed their audition live on Britain’s Got Talent, called ‘London School of Bollywood’. Their main dancer, Shiva, portrayed himself as a lady, dressed up in the same costume as the other ladies with a full face of make-up. Here is a quick insight to his experience of wearing a full face of make-up whilst performing in front of thousands of people, before it was then aired on live television.
“Men, across various cultures, have been wearing make-up for ages now. As a classical Indian dancer, I’ve worn make-up multiple times. While not an unusual act, men wearing make-up can be considered as challenging modern societal norms and expectations of masculinity. Wearing make-up on national television (Britain’s Got Talent) felt great! I’d like to think that it accentuated my look and added to the dance’s elegance. I believe that wearing make-up, whether for dance, everyday aesthetic, or any other reason for that matter, should not be gendered. I hope that my appearance sent out the message that anyone can wear make-up and no one should feel uncomfortable in expressing themselves how they choose.” – Shiva
We should take inspiration from all these influential male makeup artists, male beauty bloggers and male fashionistas that take the world by a storm because of the skills they have. However, we need to embrace diversity, spread the love and start to be the change we preach about from day to day. Regardless of what extent you decide to wear make-up or if you decide to wear it at all, just be a little more mindful and accepting of those that do. Together, we can be the change we want to see.
Join the conversation at #IsItOkayForGuys or find out more. Having teamed up with Ditch The Label, you can read about other people’s stories too.
Until next time…
