Trends 2023

I am Man

It was back in 1984 when German singer Herbert Grönemeyer dedicated “Männer” – a very upbeat and annoyingly catchy song – to the loaded question “When is a man a man?” Almost forty years later, the question is no less relevant than it was in the 80s. But it seems like we are not getting any closer to finding an answer. While younger generations especially have embraced the fact that gender is fluid and traditional gender roles are being challenged, toxic masculinity is a phrase that seems to accompany almost every discussion about manhood.

 

Loyal trend fans will remember our 2019 trend I am Woman – but it’s about time we talked about men. While some enthusiastically support men taking on more traditionally feminine traits, the influencers who claim that masculinity is in crisis often attract high levels of support, particularly at a time when many young men are feeling misunderstood, unrepresented, or even blamed for issues prevalent in society.

 

At the same time, we are seeing men reject traditional family roles and stepping up when it comes to childcare. But although there is progress and the number of men taking parental leave is growing, a look at the stats is sobering: while almost every mother in Germany has taken parental leave at some point, not even half of all fathers have done so (For children born in 2019, BiB, 2022). There is a lot of work to be done.