Man date
Man date is a neologism of the 2000s that is used to describe a social situation where two men spend time together one-on-one. The men may be any mix of heterosexual and homosexual. However, "man date" refers to a platonic social encounter, not sexual implied or actual.[1] The term was first spread by a New York Times article by Jennifer 8. Lee published in 2005, and was the basis for the 2009 film I Love You, Man.
As The New York Times article defined:
A man date is two heterosexual men socializing without the crutch of business or sports. It is two guys meeting for the kind of outing a straight man might reasonably arrange with a woman. Dining together across a table without the aid of a television is a man date; eating at a bar is not. Taking a walk in the park together is a man date; going for a jog is not. Attending the movie "Friday Night Lights" is a man date, but going to see the Jets play is definitely not.[1]
Along with metrosexual and bromance, the term is part of a growing set of neologisms that address modern-day masculinity.
Appearances of the term
The term was first brought to popular attention by an April 10, 2005 article in The New York Times Sunday Style section.[1]
Aside from the 2009 film I Love You, Man, man dates have appeared in popular culture, including in a season 3 episode of Scrubs in 2003 called "My Journey", in a Season 7 episode of The Gilmore Girls called "Knit, People, Knit!" and a Season 4 episode of Rescue Me.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 Lee, Jennifer 8. (2005-04-10). "The Man Date". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
- ↑ "'Rescue Me': Hail to the chief", Los Angeles Times (June 29, 2007).