Redefining the ‘Hard’ Parts of Being a Guy

As a guy, I’ll be the first to admit—it’s not always easy being a dude. There are a lot of responsibilities that come with the territory. We’ve got colonoscopies to dread, kidney stones to survive, families to support, bills to pay, and a never-ending list of other things to juggle. Life as a man comes with its fair share of pressure, both physically and emotionally.

But recently, I had a conversation that completely caught me off guard. I asked Ella what she thought was the hardest part of being a guy. Without missing a beat—and with a completely straight face—she said, “Probably getting a boner at the doctor’s office.”

That answer broke my brain.

Now, whether she meant it as a joke or not, I wasn’t ready for that answer. In all my years, I never once considered getting a random woody at the doctors office among the hardest parts of manhood. Don’t get me wrong—random boners are inconvenient, sure—but they’re not exactly life-shattering. I wouldn’t even put that in my top 50 list of male struggles.

Still, the fact that that was her answer made me think. Maybe it's not just about the big things—like health scares or financial pressure—but also the weird little curveballs that come out of nowhere.

At the end of the day, being a dude is a strange, complicated experience full of both real challenges and bizarrely specific inconveniences. And somehow, both are worth talking about.