Confessions of an Accused Man-Hater

For probably the first time in my life, I was recently referred to as a "man hater." This comment forced me to reflect upon my feelings/thoughts/awareness of those glorious creatures of the opposite gender. I had to ask myself- Could this statement be true?

What I realized is that I am probably one of the least man hating women you'll ever meet. How could I be so bold as to say this? Well, I have a few reasons to back this thang up.

1. I see the goodness in men. While other women may see exterior actions as proof of internal content, I can see beyond these. Sometimes this has gotten me into trouble because sometimes I have been wrong. But I think I'm right most of the time.

2. I have a grasp on some of the struggles that men face. Maybe this comes from reading books; I can't be sure. For example, someone very dear to me was having a hard time moving forward in his life. He was having trouble accepting the way his life had turned out, and he was still holding on to a dream of a life that never quite materialized. Are these things he told me? No. I figured them out. And then I listened... and then we became friends.

3. Men are loyal. Forget this "girlfriends" stuff. Maybe that works for some women, but I have met few women that I can trust. I have many more men in my life whom I trust and with whom I can be myself. There is something sacred in a friendship between a woman and a man; a freedom to be yourself because there is no competition factor.

4. I appreciate a man's opinion on things. I learned long ago that men and women perceive situations differently. To become a more well-rounded person, I have often sought the advice and/or opinions of my male friends. Men see the world in a more black and white fashion and are more likely to be upfront about what they really think about things. I appreciate this.

So, no man hating here... Let the accusations fly. I am not a man-hater. I may have been burned by them and some have let me down, but more times than not, my life has been enriched because of the men in my life.