Members of the “Men’s Therapeutic Cuddle Group” in Pennsylvania are fighting “toxic masculinity” by cozying up with one another.
According to a report from the Philly Inquirer, a group of men in Pennsylvania is getting together twice a month to cuddle. The group was formed to combat “toxic” expressions of masculinity and heal past trauma.
The cuddle group was established to allow men to be more vulnerable. According to some on the left, men have been indoctrinated to believe that showing their emotions is a sign of weakness.
“So often, we’re taught that to be an emotional stoic is the mark of manhood,” said Scott Turner, the 46-year-old co-founder of the group said. “If you show any emotional weakness or vulnerability, that’s a failure to your title of a man.”
A description from the event page explains the various cuddle positions that attendees will participate in. These positions are supplemented in some cases by hand-holding and hair or beard stroking.
Holding a man “motorcycle style”:Two or three men can participate. One of the men, the “holder”, sits on a pillow on the floor with his back against a wall or sofa. The 2nd man; the one being held, sits in front of the holder facing forward so his back rests on the holder’s chest, his head on the shoulder. The holder will embrace the man around the chest and, in time, may be asked for additional forms of affection such as hand holding, hair or beard stroking, back rubbing, hand massages, etc. This holding style makes way for group cuddling which may include spooning, just lounging on each other or forming a “cuddle train”. Some guys may want to cuddle with a man who may carry the energy of their father, a brother, or the jock who may not have affirmed them in High School. Other men may choose NOT to cuddle someone who reminds them of, for instance, their abusive teacher, uncle or a childhood bully.