Fact: there is nothing more "masculine," in the best possible sense of the word, than a father caring for his child.
Which is why the Internet erupted in outrage on Monday when British TV presenter Piers Morgan posted a photo on Twitter of Craig carrying his baby daughter, Ella, in a sling, with the mocking caption, "Oh 007.. not you as well?!!! #papoose #emasculatedBond."
Oh 007.. not you as well?!!! #papoose #emasculatedBond
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 15, 2018
The tweet quickly went viral, with people slamming Morgan for suggesting that carrying your baby around in a papoose–an old term for a baby sling that is as outdated as Morgan's viewpoint–could possibly be emasculating.
The thread was quickly flooded with photos of dads proudly showing off their own papooses.
I loved wearing my baby. Fancy a dad enjoying being close to his child!
— Seán Ó Domhnaill 🕊️ (@joapostrophed) October 15, 2018
This guy proved the papoose can be an excellent way of adding a bit of extra weight to your workout.
My girls working out with me. 😂
— Ryan Hakes (@rhakes) October 16, 2018
Or even breastfeeding your babies when mom is busy.
I wish. Here's my girls with their Tupac bandanas on. Even my little ladies are have more street cred than me.
— Ryan Hakes (@rhakes) October 16, 2018
And if it's good enough for Thor, it's good enough for the rest of us.
Oh no it's Thor and 007, has the world lost its mind? You really haven't a clue have you. These men, and in fact all men, get sexier when showing they love and care for their babies.
— Fionnuala Minto (@FionnualaMinto) October 16, 2018
One of the greatest defenses of the baby sling, however, came from Chris Evans, literally Captain America, who tweeted at Morgan, "You really have to be so uncertain of your own masculinity to concern yourself with how another man carries his child. Any man who wastes time quantifying masculinity is terrified on the inside."
You really have to be so uncertain of your own masculinity to concern yourself with how another man carries his child. Any man who wastes time quantifying masculinity is terrified on the inside.
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) October 16, 2018
Morgan, for his part, is showing absolutely no remorse for his comments. In a long series of tweets, he defended his position, saying that while taking care of your children is not in itself emasculating—carrying them around in a papoose is.
Why couldn't he use his arms, like every other generation of dads?
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 16, 2018
And in another tweet that indicates he seems to think men are all being emasculated by women, he said that the only fathers who use baby slings do so because they were "ordered to by their wives."
Or they've been ordered to by their wives.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 15, 2018
If you need any more scientific proof that being a nurturer is masculine, find out Why Women Are Attracted to Square-Jawed Men.
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Diana Bruk Diana is a senior editor who writes about sex and relationships, modern dating trends, and health and wellness.Read moreFiled UnderCelebrities • ParenthoodRead This Next11 Times A-List Celebrities Became Real Life Heroes
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