Dear Men of Marquette,

After reading Paco Nava’s beautifully written column in this week’s Tribune, I felt a strong desire to not only commend Nava for calling men on to a higher respect for their dignity, but to give my admiration, on behalf of women like myself, for all you men seeking true masculinity.

In many ways, it saddens my heart to know the men of our generation have grown up without true male models of virtue and honor to look to up to. It is even more disheartening to see the effects this loss of a true sense of masculinity has had on family life. It hurts me to see guys seeking so much to be “men” that they succumb to the pressures of what the media and society portrays as the “ideal man” or as Nava puts it … the “machismo.”

As a young woman desiring to grow in a better awareness of her femininity and dignity, I would like to commend all you men that have been striving to get past this societal hurdle and define yourselves as real men of honor and confidence. I want you to know that the societal stereotypes and pressures of what it takes to be a “real” man are really not attractive to the majority of women.

Honestly, you do not have to sleep around or chug enormous amounts of alcohol in order to impress us. Nor are you impressing us by sitting on your couches all day watching TV and eating Doritos.

Women want to be pursued, fought for and to know we are loved for the beauty of our souls. And ultimately, the man who will grab our attention is the man who will stand up for what is just, a man who lives with integrity, a man who is willing to lead with honor.

In my book, chivalry is not dead. While not every woman will agree with me on this point, I would like to say thank you to all the young men out there who ever held a door open for me, allowed me to go first in line or done anything for me out of chivalry. Thank you for respecting and honoring me by selflessly showing me kindness and generosity.

I realize you don’t have to do these things, and because you recognize my worth and dignity, I appreciate yours all the more and strive to be a better woman because of it. Thank you for your discipline and thank you for living up to your role as a man.

I encourage all you Marquette men reading this to embrace your true masculinity and realize you have a dignity that goes beyond how big your biceps are. I realize this is and will continue to be a constant struggle for you as you face pressures from society and your own passions and urges of the male body.

In the face of this, stay strong, for if you want a real woman, you have to be a real man first. Keep striving and know there are many young women out there who appreciate your efforts.

Submitted by Regina Galassi, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences.