MrsNOP,
It is not a defensive move. He's always been like this. In the beginning I foolishly thought I could help him with this, or that he would "grow out of it".

Cine,
LOLOL pocket protectors. Oh man that is funny. He truly is not a dork. He is a regular man's man kinda guy. A former Marine sniper. He is not soft and sissy-ish at all. I have no idea why his self image is so skewed but I have finally accepted that I can do nothing about it and surely don't want to hear about it anymore. All the "H!! That's not true!" have done nothing to alleviate the situation and I'm DONE doing it.