ohlittlerachel:

Leslie: We’re going to be at a lakehouse! You, me…
Ben: Ron, Jerry, Tom, April, Andy, Ann…
Leslie: I know, it’s perfect! It’s like, you know, we’re on vacation but we still get to hang out with people from work! (x) 

#how much do i love how masculinity is played with on this show??? #ron swanson is your typical meat and potatoes physical strength repression of emotions model of manhood #but has all these layers and - most importantly to me - explicitly says that he’s attracted to powerful women #that he doesn’t view power as a zero-sum game in a relationship that he wants someone to match him and even exceed him and challenge him #tom who believes in a very performative idea of masculinity all swagger and promiscuity and displays #but this is tempered by his own vulnerability and dorkiness #and his tenderness and when those shields drop when he’s involved with something/someone that he actually cares about #and andy this giant kid of a person look how much he’s grown as a person since s1 #look at how he’s changed his notions of masculinity and coupledom (not a word but shut up) with ann vs. april #ann who he would always commodify and compete over and take advantage of #and how he conflated her with accomplishment and being taken care of and beating mark and achieving happiness against her express wishes #and was frankly really awful and inappropriate and intrusive like he straight-up violated her personal space and her home and her life #and ignored her choices and undermined her agency and andy i love you but fuck you for that pattern of disrespect #but look at how he approaches his relationship with april he willingly gives her so much authority #but also challenges her and helps her grow up and it’s such an equal relationship i love it #and ben ben bennnnn he is turned on by leslie being competent and assertive and how much do i love that #i guess some people object to powerful depictions of awesome ladies and the men who love them but i want more please and thank you