Men have been trained from birth that displaying any kind of emotional need is a sign of weakness that others will use against them.

If a man does display this kind of vulnerability with you, it means:

1. He is extremely stressed to the point where maintaining social norms is beyond his abilities at the moment.
2. He trusts you in a way that can't be expressed in words.
3. Both.

Very true, especially right now for me. I had to close my business (a local game shop) after 7 1/2 years. I loved it, I am not coping well.

I'm more partial to laying my head in my girlfriends lap, but yeah the point is the same.

Just yesterday I talked to my cousin at a bakery and he broke down, saying how he felt like he had to keep "strong" even at home but his mom (my aunt) died just a month ago. Men are victims of sexism too, we all should work together

I don't think it's a big deal. Neither do I adhere to many masculine norms. Have dated a woman now a couple of times, been on her shoulder and her on mine. Both feels great.

A hug would be nice...

Men tend to shrug off the small stuff, but the big stuff ... having a shoulder is the world. Death, work layoff, bad health diagnosis, etc ... just because they don't look for a shoulder every day, doesn't mean it isn't needed and appreciated when it's time.

Hugs are my favorite things in life. I have no silly macho compulsions to avoid asking. I'm more than happy to ask my wife for hugs and she has no problem providing them and vice versa.

I prefer just laying down my head on her lap.
Probably reminds me of when I was a kid and my granny would pet me while I waited for the cult in church to be over. So soothing.

Sometimes, I guess. But I need alone time more often than I need a shoulder.

I just need the world to stfu and leave me alone for just 1 day out of a month to find inner peace.

... You're in my house?

Yet the argument we often hear is that women expect you to be psychic. If you need something, ask. Both genders.