Channing Tatum and Justin Trudeau have something unexpected in common
Photos of two very famous men are going viral and it confirms a new reality for ‘woke’ Dads in 2023.
COMMENT
Photos of actor Channing Tatum and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have emerged, highlighting a massive shift in masculinity in dad culture.
At a Taylor Swift concert, Tatum was spotted wearing glitter on his face in the shape of a love heart with his daughter, Everly.
In the same week, Trudeau uploaded a photo of him and his teenage son Xavier wearing matching pink in honour of going to see the billion-dollar Barbie movie.
“We are team Barbie,” the PM captioned the pic.
Both photos clearly show two men rejecting toxic masculinity while spending time with their children.
It might not seem like a big deal for two men to be embracing glitter and pink but the response online clearly shows … that it still is.
Trudeau’s tweet with his son was cruelly trolled and the pink moment led to strangers on the internet questioning if he was fit to lead Canada.
“Wait, this guy is leading the country?” someone commented.
“I am ashamed,” another wrote.
“WTF, man!” someone snapped.
Yes, a man wearing a pink shirt while supporting a female-led movie can still be seen as a negative thing, but fear not, if you speak to the experts it is actually great news.
Counsellor and coach Justine Campbell said that celebrities are in a position of “influence”; therefore, what clothes they wear and how they present themselves matters.
Ms Campbell explained that seeing men dressed in pink or wearing glitter might seem minor but it positively impacts children because it normalises being yourself.
“Children see, children, do, so they look to us to see what is okay,” she said.
Ms Campbell said that because Tatum and Trudeau are famous, it isn’t just their children they are setting a positive example for.
“It is not just their children it is everyone’s children’s.”
Psychotherapist Julie Sweet said that it is a positive thing to see male parents pushing back against gender norms.
“When a parent challenges a systemic construct it normalises such an act for the child. It gives children permission and freedom to do the same.
“Parents lead by example and this powerful message provides safety for a child. What’s even more refreshing is it allows a child to develop a strong sense of self. It’s to be applauded and encouraged.”
Ms Sweet said that it is a “extremely positive” thing because enforcing traditional masculinity can often be a negative experience.
“It can cause more harm than many may recognise and can create a barrier between a father and child.”
What is most exciting about the photos of Tatum and Trudeau coming out in the same week is that it shows a wider and softer male trend.
The cool dad in 2023 isn’t some man in a suit that doesn’t show any emotion. It is the guy that gets dressed up with his kids and is prepared to show off his softer side.
It reveals a much more modern take on what being a dad is and contrary to what every sitcom wants you to believe, he isn’t just the man in plaid that likes to sit in a comfortable chair and act exasperated by his wife.
It also doesn’t hurt that Tatum and Trudeau are arguably both sex symbols in their own right. They are the kind of men that people naturally want to emulate, and their glittery pink example is precisely what we all deserve to see more of.
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