Was July "Men Are Trash" Month or is it just me?

I’m having a hard time tolerating (fictional) trash men, right now. And either I'm surrounded by them or I'm a little too intuned to potential trash behavior. I'm willing to recognize that maybe it's at least partially me.

I just saw Dogfight the Musical on stage last week. It was a beautiful production, and part of JCC's annual tradition a summer show featuring young (high school and college students) local talent. 

On one hand it was about a young man who is heading off to war and is maybe coming to terms with his own toxic masculinity. On the other hand, it’s about a group of young men who treat women like shit for about two hours with an ending that suggests the main woman has a future of unrequited emotional work ahead of her. Some of the songs are beautiful. Have you seen it? Tell me what you think.

***July Reads***

I’ve also recently read a bunch of stuff that really has been side eyeing the males of the species, yall!

The Last Painting of Sara DeVos: On one hand it’s about a woman who, in searching for herself (whatever that mean) agrees to do a forgery of a painting in the 1950s. It's also about the woman who painted it in the 1600s. On the other hand, it’s also about a man who manipulates a women (the painter from the 50s) into falling for him and leaving her fearing for her own professional and personal security for 40 years. The husband of the painter in the 1600s also leaves her high and dry after racking up some debt, but that's less of the story... kinda. 

The Book of Eve: A 60-something year old woman walks away from a lifetime of caring for her asshole husband and gets involved with a jackass philandering man. Shockingly, the asshole husband is less of an asshole to his new nurse, hmmm hmmm... 

The Night Circus: basically the magical equivalent of Trading Places where two men ruin every body’s lives for the purposes of “winning.” AND WHO WON?!! Everyone? No One? 

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore: A fictionalized case study of all the ways to manipulate a woman you “love” into catering to your needs and your ego. 

Just to balance things out a bit: I also couldn't stand the character of Jane Eyre (why do people like this book) or Ifemelu, the main character in Americanah. But, I'm done with shitty men this month, y'all. Give me some book ideas that can restore my faith in men and mankind as a whole.