Who's Responsible for the Troubling Trends
...ittle boy begins to cry, the parents may respond to that behavior by saying that he is a big boy and that big boys do not cry. Right away the child learns what is acceptable behavior and what is not. In other words, men are pressured to stick with “real men” careers. John Sanders wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, but this was not the job his parents wanted him to have. “I want to be a teacher, but my parents want me to be an engineer,” states Sanders. This can cause a real dilemma for males as they plan their careers. Furthermore, men do not do hard emotional work. From a young age, boys are taught that mom is their go between when it comes to emotional situations. When father and son quarrel, son goes to mom, mom goes to dad, dad apologizes via mom, and mom talks to son. In this pattern, father and son make up without even talking to one another. I believe boys would show their emotions in a positive way if they did not care about what society thinks of them. In addition to socialization, men are afraid to show any signs of weaknesses. Crying is often mocked as being a sign of weakness and femininity. There are certain factors that have an influence on whether men choose to express their emotions. Some men are more likely to cry than others. In fact, men who are more likely to cry are those who have both masculine and feminine traits. These men are known as nontraditional men. Another factor that influences men is their income. “Nontraditional men typically fall into a higher socioeconomic status and these men are more likely to express their emotions because of both of these factors, but they are less likely to be sad and therefore, less likely to cry,” says Faith Fritz of Missouri Western State College. On the other hand, working class men are more likely to be sad or depressed, but less likely to cry. Society must learn to appreciate men who show their emotions. Meanwhile, as a society, we do not give boys the opportunity to work or talk through their emotional lessons. Indeed, when boys cry or are sad, we often tell them to “toughen up.” Society should help boys cope with their emotions, not dismiss them. Because of society, boys disproportionately represent the top leading causes...