Story by Hari Sreeramagiri “Real men don’t cry” “Real men never step foot in the kitchen, because that’s a women-thing” “Real men don’t do dance or choir” “Real men don’t like pink… that’s for girls” “Real men are strong and well built” Article by: Hari Sreeramagiri Photos by: Sophia Steinert Young children have been told this for centuries, by their family, friends, and a society that wants so badly for them to conform to its unrealistic version of manliness. A version in which men are not men, but mechanical robots with large biceps and the emotional capacity of fruit flies. The problem with hypermasculinity is that it preaches the opposite of femininity, which it considers weak. Men who dress in flowery colors or enjoy “womanly” activities like dance or cooking are underespected, because apparently real men only dress in dull colors and enjoy working out with the boys. This idea of shunning all emotions and embracing “manliness” stems from a need to prove oneself as dominant and more powerful than other members of society. Men who cry are considered weak, whereas it is considered normal for a woman to cry openly because we are more “emotional” anyways. Layout by: Krisha Konchadi and Minnah Tanzeen
9 Publizr Home