Is it okay to enjoy non-traditional or ‘unmasculine’ hobbies?

This is an absolute and resounding, YES! 

You should do and participate in the things that make you happy so that you can make this life the best you’ve got. We only get one of them, after all. I encourage you to critically reflect on why there is a question around this at all in the first place. Most likely there is some sort of societal pressure that says real men don’t bake! Well, we most certainly do and can do a really bang up job of it given the right amount of practice. 

There is nothing written anywhere that says men cannot take part in what we now associate as “non-traditional” or “unmasculine” hobbies. The superficial labels given to certain activities often restrict and limit you as an individual rather than embracing the radical possibility of letting you explore all areas of life that can lead to an extraordinarily fulfilling life. The question does, however hint at the much needed revolution masculinity is going through in the current era leading to… the Modern Man. Let’s look at a prime example of how roles, hobbies, and work are arbitrarily assigned associated genders and how that shifts over time. 

I think immediately about cooking. There are still guys and gals to this day that think that cooking should be a woman’s job (but not you, right?). When cooking became a television highlight it was Julia Child gracing the scene, teaching everyone how to make a baked Alaska. This reinforced the gender typical roles many households strongly enforced, except maybe on occasion when mom was sick. But then, some guy somewhere decided, to hell with that, and began cooking. But, he didn’t just cook, he tapped into the minds of many other men who actually enjoy cooking or who had always been curious how to make a three cheese bechamel and why it tasted so good. Fast forward a couple of years (or maybe thanks to more open eyes and exposure to the real world…) there are male chefs all over creation. The majority of society isn’t saying cooking is only for women, anymore. 

The Takeaway

The moral of the story is, worrying about what others will say should be very low on your order of importance. Instead, asking yourself if this activity, hobby, etc. brings you joy should be ranked much higher. The reality is social and cultural ideas or beliefs of what the perfect man is are exactly that. A belief or an idea. You can’t worry whether or not a certain behavior fits within a society/culturally produced false image of the perfect man. 

Be yourself. Enjoy the life you’ve got. Treat yourself and others with kindness and respect. And, let the haters hate.