Callouses, wads of chew, whisky, gun powder. Ready to shoot. Gruff men of few words.

We love our punchy, gritty, down-in-the-dirt cowboys here in Wyoming. It’s been said, the world needs more of them. But when does the unflinchingly tough, aggressive, hyper-independent stereotype we often associate with “real men” turn on us?

“You know, we’re always talking about pulling ourselves u...