I cringe at the idea of bringing back old fashioned "maleness" because the males I know in my parents generation are the most unpleasant creatures I can imagine for the most part. They blame the women in their lives for everything that went wrong for them, daughters included, and award themselves the credit for everything that went right. They dismiss anything a woman has to say as being unworthy of listening to and are outright rude to whoever they please. They are damaged people with no ability to love truly.

My husband on the other hand, messes up sometimes but holds his head up high and works on doing better, is strong and capable of taking care of us when we need it but not worried about how he appears to people so he doesn't need to bolster his own ego by putting someone else down below him. He is forgiving and loving, while holding me to the ideals we have set for ourselves together. We are equals, he would no more tolerate me walking all over him than it would occur to him to try to railroad me into something.
I love him. I don't want a neanderthal, I want a caring man who knows his own worth, and mine.