Manny Ramirez and Julian Tavarez of the Boston Red Sox act with surprising affection towards each other in this video, during which the sportscasters grow increasingly uncomfortable with the display and eventually respond with predictable ridicule and horror.
Kenyon Farrow responds to the video, saying that, while Manny and Julian may well have something more than platonic going on (which would be fun times, indeed), maybe they’re just perpetuating a rare phenomenon in US society: straight men touching.
But maybe they are straight! I actually wish more straight men would get over their fear of touching other men (Have you ever seen straight men in a movie theatre on on a train sit next to one another without leaving an empty seat between them?). Maybe they’d be less likey to feel the need to beat and bash women, children, queers or men they percieve to be less man than they. So whatever the case, Manny and Julian, be not moved by the naysayers! Hug on! Caress on! Fondle on! Wrestle on!
Whatever the larger import of this interaction, I’ll say this: while I’m a Yankees fan and am therefore pretty much required to hate Boston, this video made me love the Sox just a little bit. (Please don’t tell my mom, she already calls me a turncoat for attending the occasional Mets game.)
those announcers sound like idiots. ugh.
manny is well known for being touchy-feely with lots of people (including reporters). I don’t think it bothers his wife… and I think his team files it under “manny being manny,” like 90% of the stuff he does.
i dragged my partner in to my office to see this video because she loves the sox. we think they’re adorable. partner now feels even more superior because she loved the sox from the get-go.
I hate the Sox, but this is rad. Straight girlfriends do this and more all the time.
I thought it was beautiful. I agree with Farrow, more het men need to touch each other… we need to touch them, too. Maybe then that would break some of this ish down because… look, men touch women because they can only touch women without incurring taboo and hostility or at least upsetting that magical masculinity applecart. But I think that applecart does more harm than good and contributes to the violation of women’s bodies and objectification, too.
But then, I kinda think most men are just stupid.
Oooh. I should go to sleep with my cranky butt.
The announcers got it right in the first 15 seconds–sometimes you do just want to pet someone. After that they needed to STFU.
Man, this is why living in Korea can be so fun. Straight men can hold hands when they walk, rub each others arms, shoulders, face, back, etc… Nobody blinks an eye. Why do guys like these announcers have to be so dumb? seriously…
Thanks for this. I think I’m going to call Fox and complain.
I used to have a boyfriend who had a great relationship with my brother. Seeing that my family has a habit of touching each other, my ex boyfriend started to welcome my brother at our place with a kiss on the cheek and a hug every time the latter came to visit – or in public places, never mind. Both of them are definitely straight. It was sweet.
From what I’ve seen, men who feel well in their skins as to their relationship towards other people and have a certain basic assuredness never react with a bolt whenever something like that happens, be they straight or gay. I almost feel sorry for those two announcers. They are sort of screaming “I am insecure”.
It is sometimes said in Europe that men play soccer in order to touch each other in a socially approved fashion. I wish the example would spread.
The announcers’ comments pissed me off, but that was a really cute interaction. Even if they don’t have something more than platonic going on, it’s nice to see men being able to be comfortable touching each other. Breaking the concept of male space is hard to do, and Manny and Julian do this well! Keep it up, guys. I want to see more cisgendered men in typically “masculine” spaces become comfortable with even simply sitting near each other.
The video (minus the sound ;P) warmed my heart. Daaaaawwww, woo woo!