Message for single women: Don't overlook dating blue-collar men. Blue-collar men can be the best mates of all
Some women (not members of this group) have told me they want to meet and fall in love with a successful white-collar guy. A doctor, dentist, lawyer or Fortune 500 company CEO would fit the bill nicely. Some have even gone so far to say that any less of a profession would be settling for them.
It seems with the shortage of men as we climb the age ladder that this is a short-sighted attitude. There are some pretty terrific guys out there who don't fall into the above categories. Many work in blue-collar jobs. Don’t overlook dating blue-collar men.
But these women would never consider a blue-collar guy for a relationship. However, a man who works in a blue-collar job just might be a more suitable mate than one of those white-collar sharpies.
A man named Ryan pointed this out in a recent email: "I just came across an article you did about white-collar women and blue-collar men. I know it was a rather old article but being a 'blue-collar' guy, I found it very interesting."
Ryan wrote, "I think the stereotypes people place on one another is a shame. I work in the Texas oilfields in Perryton, Texas. When I'm off from work, I live in Amarillo. I have actually dated mostly white-collar women. And I do take an exception to a few things that the women said (in your column) about blue-collar guys. Such as: 'working a low-level job.'
"I have friends from every walk of life. And several of my very close friends would be considered white-collar guys. I have a friend who is an attorney. And honestly, he is a much bigger beer-drinking sports fan than I am. He hates nice restaurants and even hates classical music more. And, he isn't one of the smartest people I know. I enjoy classical music and even opera. Yes, I like country music more on a regular basis."
Ryan is right. Just because someone is a lawyer, doctor, or high-level executive doesn't mean he would be a better mate than a guy working a blue-collar job. Men in white-collar professions might earn more money, although there's no guarantee of that, but that doesn't mean they treat women better or would be more suitable mates. Blue-collar men can be the best mates of all.
Some women think, "Oh, the man I met is a doctor, so he makes a lot of money, I want to marry him." But, when reality sets in, the high-society guy could be a real pain in the ass to live with.
Ryan added, "I think people tend to let their careers play way too much of a role in 'who' they are. I am of above average intelligence and could probably pursue just about any field I wish. I have held several white-collar sales positions in my time. And while I was very good at it, I absolutely hated every minute of it. I just prefer what I do now.
"I didn't move to a trailer park and start beating my wife when I changed careers. And over the years, I have dated teachers, pharmaceutical reps, insurance agents, real estate agents, nurses, bankers etc. And, I made more money than almost everyone of them. Not that it matters. The two PhDs I dated made less than half of what I did."
Ryan works two weeks in a row, and then he gets two weeks off. One would expect a guy with a schedule like that would play or pursue hobbies for the two weeks he's off. But not Ryan. "I am using my time off to start a custom concrete business," he said.
Ryan shared some advice for women who only seek white-collar men, "When 90% of the girls I dated got away from their work friends, they actually let their hair down and began to live a little. Most of them told me that they could 'be themselves around me.' And they couldn't around their peers. So, I urge people to just find love where they can because it's rare enough without us letting our jobs--which most people hate--interfere."
I like this "blue-collar" guy's message. I wonder how many of the women in our group would pursue him if he lived near them?