Many cultures have certain expectations of what a man should and should not be. These qualities are deemed "masculine" and the men who embody them are called "real men." Common traits include bravery, diligence, endurance and strength. Failing to achieve this standard often meant rejection and mocking, while living up to it meant being stuck in a rigid role. Thankfully, these demands have loosened considerably in many parts of the world.
Some guys just never bothered to care, though.
Whether or not these tropes are positive or negative, they demonstrate what society considers masculine.
Contrast Bishōnen, Pretty Boy, In Touch with His Feminine Side, Femininity Tropes.
Compare/Contrast Gender-Blending Tropes.
Not to be confused with The Real Man (though the attitude of such players can be rooted in these tropes).
Tropes
- Action Dad
- Air Hugging: A side effect of Real Men Hate Affection below.
- Basso Profundo
- Boys Like Creepy Critters
- Briefs Boasting: A man seems somehow more masculine if he wears briefs.
- Carpet of Virility
- Cock Fight: Fighting over a woman to show manliness...and get laid.
- Emasculated Cuckold: If a man's wife cheats on him, he's not manly.
- Eunuchs Are Evil
- Father's Quest
- Fiendish Fraternity: Groups of men are bound to be hyper masculine and usually dangerous.
- Final Battle-Induced Shirt Loss: The antagonist will reveal your manliness after they get rid of that shirt.
- Finger Extinguisher: Putting out a flame with your hand.
- Fire Is Masculine: Maleness or masculinity is associated with fire or heat.
- The Grunting Orgasm
- Guys are Slobs: Being disgustingly dirty means being manly, apparently.
- Hunk
- I Want to Be a Real Man
- Jerk Jock
- The Lad-ette: A girl with boorish masculine traits.
- A Lady on Each Arm
- Leg Cling
- Lovable Jock
- Macho Camp
- Macho Masochism
- Male Frontal Nudity
- Man Hug
- Manly Facial Hair
- Manly Gay: A Homosexual Masculine Male.
- Manly Tears: The manly way to cry.
- Manly Men Can Hunt
- Masculine, Feminine, Androgyne Trio: A feminine character is grouped with a masculine character and an androgynous character.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: A feminine male and a masculine female are featured together.
- Men Are Strong, Women Are Pretty
- Men Are Uncultured
- Men Can't Keep House
- Men Don't Cry: Unless they are Manly Tears.
- Noble Male, Roguish Male
- No Guy Wants an Amazon: A masculine and/or badass woman is treated negative to a man's sense of manliness.
- One of the Boys: A girl who does guy things with the guys.
- Papa Wolf: When being fatherly to one's child equates being a great man.
- Passionate Sports Girl: A girl who is passionate about playing traditional male sports.
- Pec Flex: Flexing or bouncing their pecs to show manliness.
- Perma-Stubble
- Pink Is for Sissies: That color is a unexpectable fit for a guy.
- The Quarterback
- A Real Man Is a Killer
- Real Men Cook
- Real Men Eat Meat
- Real Men Get Shot
- Real Men Hate Affection
- Real Men Hate Sugar
- Real Men Take It Black
- Real Men Wear Pink: A masculine male who haves a feminine streak. (Inverts the belief that anything feminine haves to be avoid.)
- Red Hot Masculinity: The color red is associated with masculinity.
- Scary Black Man
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: One man is feminine, and the other is masculine.
- Shirtless Captives
- Shirtless Scene: Fanservice that emphasizes masculinity.
- Tall, Dark, and Handsome
- Testosterone Poisoning
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: One girl is masculine, and the other is feminine.
- Unmanly Secret
- Virile Stallion: Horses are used to represent unbridled manliness and sexuality.
- Walking Shirtless Scene
- Working Out Their Emotions: Real men don't let out their emotions- they exercise them!
- Double Standard Rape: Female on Male: Real men can't be raped
- Double Standard: Rape, Male on Male
- Double Standard: Abuse, Female on Male
