Synthesis Essay On Masculinity

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Why do we as men have to be big, tough, strong, “masculine”? Why do we have to act a certain way to fit in? Why is it that if we are different we become isolated and shunned from society just for being who we are? What is true masculinity? Young males are forced to act like the typical stereotype of what a man is supposed to be. They are told to not cry, to not show emotions, to not be a sissy but they are never told how to be themselves. Fear of being alone makes most males attached to their alternate masculine selves and never allow them to find their true selves.
As a young child I was afraid to cry when I would get hurt because I didn't want to be called “girly” or a “wussy”. Every guy goes through this in elementary school, middle school, …show more content…

When a girl acts like a guy they are just a tomboy they just laugh it off and think its cute. But as soon as a boy acts like a “girl” they are called names, made fun of , bullied, and even shunned. In Judith Butler’s video “Phylosophe” she mentions a boy who was killed for having a feminine walk. He was killed for being himself. Tannen also supports this claim when she says “There are many kinds of evidence that women and men are judged differently…¨. Why is it that we as men can’t show a ounce of emotion? For example, someone who is different or acts different get treated differently and casted away. In Ashanti Young’s prelude “The Barbershop” he mentions a man by the name of Eric. Eric is ignored, shunned, and hated by everyone in the barber shop just because he is “gay”.Thousands of kids have to go through this struggle on a daily basis. No guy shows his true emotions because he was taught that if he shows emotion he is weak. Fear of being judged keeps the fake mask on every man. Some people are not afraid and a lot of them actually call themselves gay or bi-sexually. Fear is the biggest factor in boys over masculine behavior because they want to make friends with the cool, tough kids. Even though the “cool, tough” kids are trying just as hard to be friends with them. Once those kids become popular they embody their false selves and get comfortable with it for a short period of time before all their …show more content…

As a child we just thin this way and it really is not pushed onto us. We just idolize the people who are the epitome of a “man”. Men are known to overthink on everything as child we don't realise we over think but we do. We put the pressure on ourselves when we are young. Nowadays society is allot more forgiving and accepting of people who are different. Its is actually “cool” to be different in today's society. Not so much pressure is on the youth since that the older generations has carried those problems and through them partially away. There is still lots of progress to be made in order to have better

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