Purcell: Theory may explain male 'sissification'

The end of the year is upon us - a fine time for a fellow to dwell on the larger matters.

Such as: Why are men turning into a bunch of softies?

I've been following this transformation for some time.

In the late 1990s, the covers of men's magazines began producing headlines nearly identical to women's magazines: "Ten tips to remove that flab and win her attention!"

In 2003, I reported on the emergence of the "metrosexual" male - "straight urban men who are willing, even eager, to embrace their feminine sides," said The New York Times.

In 2006, I reported on the Man Bag, a purse for men, though its creators hate when you call it that.

The modern man needs a purse so he can tote around his hair goop and other items he can't be without.

One happy Man Bag customer explained why he bought one - it prevented his wallet, which he had carried in his back pocket, from misaligning his spine.

That's great. We're at war with tough-guy terrorists and our guys are getting injured by their wallets.

In 2007, I reported on another male trend: the "ubersexual" male.

An ubersexual is a metrosexual on turbo - a "stylish urban fellow committed to uncompromising quality in all areas of life," says askmen.com.

Including makeup.

Eyeliner for men - "guyliner" - is another softy male trend, as reported in The Washington Post.

What is more puzzling than the sissification of modern males is that more women seem to be going for them.

And so it was that a report in the UK Daily Mail, a few months back, caught my attention.

A scientific study, highlighted in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution, offe

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