Masculinity. A word that is under attack. Masculinity is not bad. Masculinity is not the reason for pigs, jerks, and other men who have no sense of morals. Day by day masculinity is emasculated in the craziest sense. It is even tried to be controlled at a young age. There is difference in males and females. Not just physically but how we are as people. But this does not mean we have to follow gender stereotypes. There are plenty of women who are "tomboys" and men who are "metrosexual." Feminism push for equality is great but the one thing that I find hard is trying to stop boys from being boys (boys who are pigs should have been raised to respect women).
1. School
Boys are different than girls in school. Boys need to be outside to run off steam and just being boys. From sports to jumping around have you seen a boy pay 100% attention in school or sit still? In a 2004 study, it is stated that "82% of teachers believed boys had an attention deficit disorder." I know I had trouble paying attention in school and my favorite class was gym where I can just run around and have fun. This continued all they way to high school. To this day I have to move around, which is why I work in a place that requires heavy lifting, being outside and doing things that keep me busy. A boy who struggles to pay attention does not mean they are not smart or know what is going on. It is just harder. I was a at the end of high school high honors, took night classes and held a job. It can be done but boys need to be boys.
2.The Provider
Something that has been a gender role for men. Men have to be the one to provide for everything. It is 2016 men today are not going crazy if his wife brings home more money than him. But a study has found that "men who become married have a drive to have a better job and to make more money." This is by no ways to assert masculinity but a trait that is just us. Men want to provide for the people they love. They want the best, give the best and work harder to make it happen. That is just us. Modern men are still driven and so will our sons will be to provide. This does not mean that women have to be housewives either. Just understand our nature to to be better, to want to provide.
3. Role Models
Men learn from men. They need a positive role model in their life. I heard a theory about men and their sons and it states that when a son becomes able to do things like write, talk and understand things, the mothers role is over and it is the job of the father to teach him right from wrong. How to respect a women, to be a better person and to have chivalry. Once I heard this I actually looked back on how much time I spent with my father, what I learned from him and how much I became like him. I do leave coffee mugs all over my back seat, have a drive to work for my kept but also how to treat a woman. To treat her like a pearl, to listen, to let her be herself. To let her have a career, do what she wants and pull equal weight. I see this trait in my Papa. He washes the dishes right after dinner to name a trait. Men need men to look up to but also to teach us to be us. Strong male role models who help raise a boy will create men not boys.
4. Competition
Ah, the classic scene where two boys fight for a girl at school or start to do stupid things to make them more manly. We all have seem it and guys honestly you can't say you did something out of competition with another guy for some reason. Competition is a just the way men are. It is the reason we drive to be better. It is the reason we work harder and sometimes do stupid things.... but it is not a trait to be washed out of boys or men. The drive to be better is fundamental, and it is not just for men only but the drive crosses over to their wives, partners, significant others as well as siblings and kids. Competition drives success and in capitalist minds better products.
