6. He respects you.
You need this, and only a true man will give it to you. Respect should be administered whether you’re just getting horizontal with him or you’re going to marry him. A man is respectful in both situations, while a boy is likely to treat a hook-up like an easy woman and only save respect for a serious relationship. No thanks.
7. He wouldn’t think of ghosting.
Let me repeat: a real man does not ghost. He understands that every relationship comes with the risk of a break-up, and that as a grown adult, he’ll have to handle that should it come to an end. REAL MEN DO NOT GHOST.
8. He isn’t threatened by your male friends.
If they’re truly just your friends (and you’re not trying to pull a fast one on him), then a grown man doesn’t force you to stop hanging out with them. In fact, he tries to assimilate them into his life, too, so that there isn’t any drama and you don’t have to bail on friendships. It all goes back to respect.
9. He loves you at your worst.
This sounds cliche, but a real man has been through crappy situations in his life too and he gets that we aren’t all perfect 24/7. So even if you have a drunk hysterical meltdown where you throw your wine glass across the room, he gets it and doesn’t punish you forever for it. Boys will hold a grudge, ignore the bigger picture of why you’re hurting, and make you feel bad endlessly. Screw that.
Via Bolde.