Everyone talks about equality but then becomes a hypocrite and calls men and boys weak just because they have emotions. As long as I can remember, boys are humans and every human have emotions.
Men’s Mental Health—This is an important initiative as many men have felt pressured over the centuries, and have struggled to give words to their emotions. Indeed, many males have become emotionally numb over the years or have had to deny the realities of their lives by hiding their feelings from others to appear ‘strong’ and ‘masculine.’ Our culture has taught them that there is no place for men’s emotions in this world. They are told to “man up” or “stop acting like a girl,” and that “real men don’t cry.”
Societal expectations and traditional gender roles play a role in why men are less likely to discuss or seek help for their mental health problems. We know that gender stereotypes about women – the idea they should behave or look a certain way, for example – can be damaging to them. But it’s important to understand that men can be damaged by stereotypes and expectations too.
Men are often expected to be the breadwinners and to be strong, dominant and in control. While these aren’t inherently bad things, they can make it harder for men to reach out for help and open up.
Gender differences in the diversity of emotion words parents use in conversations with young boys and girls also emerge. In another study examining conversations between mothers and young children, mothers interacting with daughters employed emotion vocabulary of greater density and depth, whereas conversations with sons tended to focus primarily on a single emotion—you guessed it, anger.
Over three million men in the UK have a mental health difficulty, and the charity Mind previously found that 37% of men in the UK feel worried or low. The top three issues playing on their minds were job security, work and money. According to the office of national statistics, the ratio of male to female suicides has shown a sustained rise over the last 30 years. In 1981, 62% of suicides in the UK were male, and in 2014 this figure had risen to 76%. Suicide is the single biggest cause of death in men under the age of 45 in the UK.
Masculinity, and what it means to be a man, has been implanted, grown and developed in the minds of men since their childhood. Men witness to the stereotypes of masculine heroes, who are self-sufficient, strong and capable. Often the role of offering emotional support is not one associated with being manly, and is therefore dismissed.
Getting men to feel and express themselves is truly an act of revolution. The wild and beautiful thing is that these abilities are innate and organic in all men — in all humans. I truly believe that upping their emotional diversity and maturity is low hanging fruits when it comes to waking up men and inspiring them to build a more loving and equitable world. Changing our society’s beliefs about boys’ social and emotional capacities won’t happen over night, but both educators and parents can do a lot to help them cultivate the capacities they already possess
To all the boys and men reading this, Your emotions matter and showing and expressing emotions isn’t a bad thing and it won’t make you weak. You are loved and you are very strong. Let’s forget all the toxic masculinity and step forward revolution because you and your emotions matter a lot to us❤️
If you ever want to share something with me feel free to ping me up on Instagram You can reach out to me on my Instagram handle- Manisha
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