Disclaimer: This is not to say that some girls’ individual experiences are not valid or aren’t necessarily true. It’s just that there is more to every experience than this generation is letting on by labeling guys (especially in high school and college) as a whole to be these emotionless, uncaring and heartless people. It’s not entirely true. This is what this is about.

With that said, I felt this was an important issue to address because, to be honest, I get really upset seeing all of these stories on social media and especially articles on the internet pinning a lot of guys down as people who use and don’t care about girls. I’m not even going to use the common word for it because I really hate the term.

Again, I’m sure some girls have some experiences that are legit and things happen. But when I look around, I don’t see these types of guys. You know why? Because a large majority of them are not how this generation is labeling them. I look at my guy friends and the ones I associate with in classes and clubs and can’t stand the thought of them being labeled a certain way just because they are guys. They are some of the funniest, nicest and most pleasurable people to talk to, and looking at them is what gave me the motivation to write this. Do you also want to know how I know there are great guys out there all around? Because I have lived with one for the past 20 years, but I’ll get into that a little later.

The beginning.

Sometimes I wonder how this all started. This untrue mentality that a lot of girls get absorbed in. At this point we all know we live in a generation with multiple means of communication, like social media and even texting. Because of these things, little details get blown up and misinterpreted where girls are driving themselves insane. Just because he doesn’t text you back with a long, detailed message, Snapchat response or doesn’t “like” your Instagram post doesn’t mean he’s a jerk. I mean, really? When did this mentality become acceptable? I’m not saying all girls have it either, but if you do, you need to reevaluate things and really think about your judgments.

It’s who you surround yourself with.

This probably goes without saying, but at the same time I feel it’s not as obvious as it should be. There are so many pleasant guys out there and, really, they aren’t hard to find. They’re everywhere -- just maybe not in the little corner it seems some of this generation of girls are searching in. Instead of relying on technology for communication, just strike up a conversation. Engage a guy in a real conversation, no matter how random or casual it is, because they like to talk too. One of the best things you can do is ask them about things they like or things you notice about them. A lot of times they love responding and talking about their interests while seeing that you care and are interested. Fun fact: These guys are everywhere, so just surround yourself with them and eventually you'll realize that pinning down most guys the same way is unfair.

My brother.

Maybe all of this is easier for me to see because I’ve grown up with one of these guys I’m talking about my entire life: my brother. So yes, I am absolutely 100 percent positive that we need to give guys a break, because if most of them are anything like my brother (and from my experiences, many are), then this common and misleading label needs to end. Having this “model” in my life has shown me just how wrong some people are about 21st century guys. My brother has shown me how respectful, kind and caring guys can be. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like too many girls have this model, which may be why they feel their personal experiences with guys define and characterize them all the same way. That’s upsetting to think about and I hope they realize one day just how wrong they are by branching out and talking to the right people.

Final thoughts.

All in all, I’m hoping this may open up people’s eyes and make them realize, in a way, that guys are being treated unfairly for the most part. It goes both ways, too. As girls, we have to uphold the same standards we place on guys as well. It just seems like the spotlight is on their behavior more often (and only a small group of them), and this is causing this misleading representation of them all to gain leverage.

So, please, we need to give guys a break by evaluating them individually as opposed to as an entire population, because I promise you, you will find that a lot of them are great people. So, a shout out to all the great guys I know who motivated me to write this. I hope if anyone reads this it will change their negative perception of guys, because I can’t stand them all being labeled the way they are.