Like pretty much everyone I know, I've found the London 2012 Olympics surprisingly compelling and emotional to watch. I've been glued to the coverage every night and am so impressed by the sterling efforts of Team GB. But by far the most fascinating aspect of the Games for me has been the emotional response of our medal winners as they receive their medals - in particular the male athletes...
Watching Sir Chris Hoy receive his sixth - and last - Olympic gold medal was a profoundly moving event, not least because of his reaction on the podium. Nobody watching his tears could fail to understand what that moment meant to him. It was a beautiful moment of pure honesty, witnessed around the world.
This got me thinking. So often today's writers of romantic fiction are criticised for creating male characters who are capable of displaying real emotion. They are branded as 'weak', 'unrealistic' and even - heaven forbid - 'unmanly'. Apparently, women don't find emotion in a man attractive or sexy. But I beg to differ.
A man who can connect with his emotions when it matters most is as far removed from weak and unattractive as it is possible to be. It is entirely possible for a man to be strong, driven and yet fully able to display emotion. Watching Sir Chris brimming with pride and being swept away by the immensity of his achievement demonstrates this perfectly. Nobody would accuse him of being weak for it. On the contrary, his open display of emotion was a sign of strength - and immensely attractive for its honesty.
So, the naysayers can keep their Rhett Butlers and their Christian Greys. I'll take a strong, attractive, emotional man any day of the week!
