[Titan Magroyne]

So, how does a man stay masculine enough within a marriage to sustain a wife's interest when it comes time to do the dishes, clean the cat-box, etc? [Nice Guy Dud here] I read up to the current posts and returned to yours because no-one else quite hit on my first impulse, though the advice to show confidence is a part of it. Decisiveness.

"Whatever you want to do, dear," is not the way to begin a discussion. You can settle on a solution once both of you have expressed a preference. And if you concede to her will thinking it's the gentlemanly way to go, next time it's your pick. Just my opinion, but not even nice girls can respect a pushover for very long.

As for housework? If you think it unmasculine to contribute to upkeep of a home, you may find her too busy to keep YOU up, if'n you know what I mean. :o)

[HitmanLV]

Wise insights!

[IslandJeff]

No way, man - I'm more than willing to work on stuff, even with tools on occasion. The problem lies in modern female expectations of masculinity in light of a standard, Classical Protestant upbringing, replete with its (NOT archaic) notions of utilitarianism and the ideal of the Gentleman.

Holding and opening doors just seems like it costs, rather than scores. That encapsulates it reasonably well, I think.