"Be A Man"

In today's society, it is shunned upon for men to show emotion. This post will not only explore the hidden feelings of men but why they might feel this way and its impact as well.

"Be a man…" every time males hear this; it tells them to hide their emotions. Expressing any hint of a feeling leads them to believe they are weak. Being a man means being strong through everything and refusing to show any sign of genuine emotion. This whole idea is engrained in the fibers of their being. Men want to live up to the expectations of their gender, and if they cannot adhere to the basic ideas of what it means to "be a man," they often feel like a failure. Furthermore, this stereotype that "real men" do not cry or express their feelings is unhealthy.

Little boys usually grow up without much direction on how to express their emotions. As kids, they are taught to "toughen up." Which is one of the worst things to tell a boy as he repeatedly struggles with his feelings. By telling them to hold back their tears and hide their feelings, only teaches them to deny their emotions. When they continually refuse to feel their emotions, it stunts their emotional maturity.

Men are programmed to ignore their feelings and not recognize genuine emotions. There are many men content in this kind of simplistic thinking. They do not recognize deeper emotions and do not have intricate thoughts about their feelings or how they are affected by their environment. For some men, what you see is what you get. They do not think too deeply about the world around them - they are happy just being as they are. Which, in most cases, negatively impacts their relationships with others because when people do not understand their emotions and how to deal with them, it stifles their ability to communicate effectively.

By changing the idea that if they show a more vulnerable side, it will overshadow their other masculine traits, we will promote a generation that feels safe showing/expressing emotion. As a community, we need to break down these toxic expectations on men, further allowing emotional maturity.