Masculinity: there’s no one definition.

For centuries, patriarchy has raised an eyebrow to any guy who stepped outside their gender roles. It was expected that a man was defined by his physicality, the gruffness in his behavior, or the ambivalence towards emotions. He was completely trapped, required to play the head of his household, be the authority over women, and prove his might through muscle. And any guy who dared step outside that heteronormative box would find their very manhood questioned.

SEE ALSO: Why I’m not afraid to be called feminine

But the pressures to conform have vastly changed in the last 5-10 years, and those expectations are now ones that feel antiquated. Today, men and women are both challenging traditional gender norms by simply being themselves.

This is explained through six empowering guys in the above video, who have proven that the very definition of masculinity has no boundaries. They may come from diverse backgrounds, live in different cities, and work in a variety of sectors in life, but all of them share this: A belief that living their truth and completely owning their confidence is beautiful. It’s not to say that finding that definition and accepting their own manhood was easy.

Like for David Yi, the editor of Very Good Light. He’s listened to friends, family, and workplace peers say he wasn’t “manly” enough.

Or Ian Michael Crumm, an entrepreneur. Haters attempt to make him feel smaller by making fun of his “pretty” hair.

Here’s Cory Wade, a model and activist. Many tell him to hide his feminine side.

Taj Reed, a producer at High Snobiety, wants peers to focus on his talents, instead of what he looks like.

But really, do any of these guys actually care what people think about them?

Nope.

You see, each has grown into their own.

Guys like Bikram Singh know what’s up. He’s a successful investment banker. He also has a cool mustachio and wears colorful turbans. Brikram gets that being unique is awesome.

And like him, David has come to terms with his own masculinity. He now owns his personal confidence. Look. At. That. ?. Outfit.

And when you have “it” and you own your masculinity, there’s nothing left to prove.

Look at Taj’s winsome smile. Dude’s not even trying. This guy knows that when you finally embrace your own individuality and love you for, well, you, you begin to realize that…

You’re beautiful.

You always were.

These are the very words from Gurjaap Singh who’s a research scientist. Repeat, a research scientist. If you can’t trust a research scientist, who can you trust?

Yep, he understands the power of confidence, no matter the circumstance, no matter the size.

No matter the smize.

Cory understands it’s said smize that got him his career. And why would he ever mask that?

Speaking of mask, wonder what hair mask Ian uses.

Imagine if Ian ever cut off that set of soft, silky blonde hair. His 300K and counting Instagram following wouldn’t be #blessed with things like this:

In any case, each is proving that you need to completely own your individuality. Because once you do, that’s when you find that that you, too, have found that …

Very Good Light. Now go walk into that light. Bask in your glory.

Find and share your own confidence with #verygoodlight. Confidence, after all, comes from the inside.

(Cue: Dramatic ending).

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