Boys vs “Masculinity”.
Why boys can’t cry? It is not acceptable for
many culture when a man shows his emotion. Stereotypes like that come from long
years ago and have causing troubles. Many boys are suffering in nowadays
society because of these stereotypes.
The society created some wrong concepts
about masculinity that have been damaging the life of many boys. The article “Is the ‘be a man’ stereotype hurting
boys?” by Kelly Wallace from CNN, explains how many boys behavior is shaped
by the influence of stereotypes about masculinity. “The cultural idea of
masculinity, the thinking that men need to be strong and independent, is
causing many boys and young men to have trouble bearing difficult emotions”
said Michael Thompson cited by Wallace. The men never can show their feelings,
because this is a trace of weakness, and a man has to be strong, has to be in
control of all situation. “Boys have been socialized in such a way that they
are not supposed to experience pain or suffering and that they are expected to
be dominant, stoic and in control at all times,” said Jennifer Siebel Newson in
a Wallace’s interview.
Parents, guardians, educators and
coaches, have the obligation of teacher boys that there is more than one way to
show their ‘masculinity’. Many boys are making bad things for themselves and
for society as a manner of express their masculinity. For example, the recent
case of Jaylen Fryberg, a popular freshman, opened fire on classmates during
lunch at Marysville-Pilchuck High School north of Seattle on last Friday. Supposedly, the motivation was a
breakup of a relationship. This case illustrates how many boys are suffering
with a society built by stereotypes, as a result of miss concepts, they are committing
violence as a way to show their prisoned feelings.
Boys as well as girls are human being
that have feelings, weakness and fairness. Is needed a cooperation of all to
build a society free of bad stereotypes. The schools working together with
parents have to show boys how to share their feelings, have to make efforts to let
them aware of their life challengers.
In future posts link the article you have read to your blog. This is an interesting topic for me because I have a 3 year old boy is so easily influenced by social customs and what he sees and hears. Parenting is an incredibly difficult path because I want my son to be strong, independent and socially accepted -- but at the same time I want him to be a generous, emotional and loving person.
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