‘Courage isn’t inherently a masculine quality, of course, but there’s more to it than that. People often use the phrase “grow a pair” or “strap on a pair” as a way of belittling someone who has shown weakness, or vulnerability’
‘Every year, dozens of men die because they decided to “strap on a pair” rather than admit their own weakness. Whether it’s shrugging off a niggling illness or feeling unable to talk about mental health problems (young men are at far greater risk from suicide than women, for example), the things we’ve been told about what it is to be a man can be our own worst enemy. It’s not weakness to admit you can’t cope; it’s strength.’
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/lifestyle/2012/05/no-i-will-not-grow-pair
STEVEN BAXTER - http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/steven-baxter/2012/06/im-proud-be-member-humourless-left
‘It’ll be interesting to see when the accusations of ‘leftist bias’ return to the corporation after these days in which everything’s been wonderful, and everyone loves the Queen, and everyone everywhere has been just like the perma-grinning mobs on the Mall.’
‘I dare say there were lovely scenes in communities up and down the country getting together, but that was hardly touched by what we saw on TV – it was the usual Londoncentric celeb-heavy drivel.’
