What about us women being the Captain Marvel to your rescue?
I remember the first time I saw Christopher Reeve as Superman. I was young, but he was my mom’s favorite. She would feign a swoon every time he came on the screen. Those dimples! That chin! He really did make an awesome Man of Steel, always swooping in to help the damsel in distress.
Whether it’s in pop culture, folklore, or on the nightly news, a hero is marked by his or her ability and willingness to protect and save women and children. Spider man swings across the city with Mary Jane in his arms. She’s terrified, but eventually relaxes into his powerful partially-arachnid arms. Cops, firefighters, and life guards and generally considered the sexiest men around. Why? Because they’re always saving people! Being a hero is the ultimate sign of male goodness, right?
But what about when guys need saving? Because guess what, they do sometimes.
And we – the people who love them – are the ones for the job. When I read this list by James M.Sama on how men can be a woman’s real-life superhero, I was reminded of all the ways those of us who love guys can be superheroes to men, too.
Here are seven of those ways:
1. We will make you feel safe
Guys, society has about a hundred different ways it teaches you not to cry, starting when you’re babies. “What a big strong boy!” people declared when they saw your drooling smile. “Brush it off, son” they told you when you skinned your knee. “Just punch him in the nose,” someone recommended when they find out you were being bullied in school.
But sometimes you don’t feel big and strong. Sometimes you can’t brush it off, and punching someone in the nose probably led to a bigger fight and maybe a suspension.
Sometimes, what you need is your own personal superhero. Someone with heroic listening skills, strong arms and a compassionate heart.
If the person you love most isn’t there to hold you when you cry, they’re not worth your time. Because you deserve a sounding board and safe place to share your hurts.
2. We’ll be there when you need us
A superhero is always swooping in at the opportune moment to grab the damsel in distress and whisk her away from the bad guy.
Well, we should be doing that for you, too. Okay, maybe we can’t punch through brick walls (or possibly even sheet rock), but we can watch your face across a party and put ourselves in the line of fire with your pushy aunt or obnoxious coworker when you’re really starting to sweat. Give us the signal (double eyebrows up or maybe a wink combined with straightening your tie?) and we’ll come in out of nowhere and whisk you way somewhere better; preferably the bar.
And when it comes to funerals, the loss of your job, or even just doing gross chores at home, your superhero partner should be by your side when we can, helping you survive the worst.
3. We will make you feel like a superhero too
Heroic partners never talk bad about our guys.
You aren’t the butt of our jokes or our ol’ ball-and-chain. Sure, we may need to vent to our closest friends sometimes (so do you!), but what we really want is for our friends to see you as the great guy you are. And we will never, ever humiliate you or make you feel unworthy.
4. We will save your life when you’re in danger
Because guess what? We’re firefighters, lifeguards and cops, too!
I once watched a lifeguard (who happened to be a woman) run into the ocean and pull one man and two children out of a rip tide. She got them onto the beach, then swam out to pull in two more men who were being carried out to sea. Total lives saved that afternoon: 5.
Not all of us are going to be as strong and heroic as a first responder, but know that we will do everything we can to save your life if the need arises. We can tie a tourniquet, perform CPR and more.
