Crying is something that everyone does; it’s a normal part of life. However, if you’re male, then there are often different standards applied. The issue is that too many times and unnecessarily some people associate men crying with being weak, effeminate, or gay. The projection conveyed is that a man is somehow less than whole if any or too much emotion is displayed.
Crying is important because it:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/s-l-young/why-shouldnt-men-cry_b_9358854.html
An older article, but i think the point still remains. I think this is a huge elephant in the room among black men that it is not ok to cry. But why is this? Men in general, but more specifically black men are told at a very young age that crying is just not something to do. Girls are often encouraged to cry or at the very least, end up getting consoled when they cry, but men teach their sons "stop that crying right now...dont cry".
I feel this is counterproductive to the psyche of a young black impressionable child and just perpetuates this cycle that if you are a black male, and you cry, that somehow that makes you inferior.
Discuss
Crying is important because it:
- releases pain;
- helps individuals to heal;
- isn’t a sign of a weakness;
- allows feelings of happiness to be fully realized;
- is a normal part of life.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/s-l-young/why-shouldnt-men-cry_b_9358854.html
An older article, but i think the point still remains. I think this is a huge elephant in the room among black men that it is not ok to cry. But why is this? Men in general, but more specifically black men are told at a very young age that crying is just not something to do. Girls are often encouraged to cry or at the very least, end up getting consoled when they cry, but men teach their sons "stop that crying right now...dont cry".
I feel this is counterproductive to the psyche of a young black impressionable child and just perpetuates this cycle that if you are a black male, and you cry, that somehow that makes you inferior.
Discuss