Boys don’t cry…or do they?

In a patriarchal society which consistently imposes its values of strength, independence, and dominance among men, many have been raised to display these traits by closing themselves off to feeling emotions.

What is the patriarchy and how has it permeated society so aggressively?

The patriarchy is a social system in which males hold power over females in the family, social, religious, and political spheres of a community. Even though the world seems to be slowly acclimating towards women becoming more equal and having more opportunities, these so called “traditional family roles” and values continue to influence the minds of men.

In many cases, if a male does not see himself as dominant over a female, he may feel insecure and feeble, because we have constantly been told and retold the mythical story that women are the “more feeble gender,” with weaker minds and bodies.

Many have grown accustomed to projecting an image of intrepidity, as the absolute form of masculinity, but it does not have to be that way!

Human beings are complex creatures who find themselves incessantly battling struggles throughout their daily lives. Although females and genderqueer (non-binary) individuals may face more scrutiny and struggle more than others, males do feel every emotion at the same frequency and intensity as others and that is okay.

We need to move past these social norms that say that it is not okay for men to be emotional and that it is not okay for men to cry.

Although Feminism is commonly mistaken to be a movement to elevate women to eventually become the dominant gender, this is not true at all! Feminists see the struggles that men face under the Patriarchy, and they want to address these issues just as much as they want to address women’s issues. Feminism is the movement of gender equality, for people of all genders and gender non-conformists.

So, men, if you are afraid to proclaim yourself a Feminist, in fear of being seen as soft, get in touch with the true ideals of the movement and see for yourself what it has to offer.

We see you, and it is okay to cry. Boys do cry.