Lauren Paolini
Staff Writer
We all know society really needs to check itself when it comes to how women are treated in this world.
I could go on for pages, but there simply isn’t enough room in this paper to cover everything that needs to be improved for us ladies.
I do, however, want to take some time to talk about the guys.
You know them, you love them, they may drive you crazy, but they’re an important part of your life and who you are.
Not only the boyfriends, but brothers, dads, and beloved guy friends could be lacking the attention they need when it comes to their emotions.
So, let’s debunk the myth that “men are trash.”
Men are humans and experience human emotions. Men are complicated, loving, and guess what – they even cry.
And they should be allowed to.
There are plenty of people in this world who have had terrible experiences with a man, and that’s completely valid. But we need to look at that person as a complete individual, and not just blame the fact that they are male.
Now, don’t get me wrong, toxic masculinity is definitely a monster that is alive and well. That dragon needs to be slayed ASAP. But in doing so, we need to encourage men to express their feelings, because that’s a major part of the problem.
For society to expect men to be these strong, brick, emotionless heroes is completely unrealistic and beyond damaging to their mental health. I’m not a doctor, but I know if I was forced to suppress any of my (many) emotions, I would probably explode. And that’s what is happening to our favorite guys.
We expect men to be strong and brave, but the strongest and bravest thing a man can do in my eyes is open-up, be vulnerable, and reach out to their loved ones when something’s oP. It takes a whole lot of strength to be honest about how you’re feeling.
If men are forced to push down their sadness or bottle up their fears, it only damages them and the other people in their lives in the long run. It is natural and healthy to work through emotions as they come.
According to Mental Health America, more than six million men experience depression in America, and 19 million have an anxiety disorder.
Men are far less likely to seek medical help for mental illness issues because of this stigma that emotions make them weak. We need to work to reverse this belief and let our guys know we’re here to listen.
So, to all the strong, brave guys in my life – if you need to let it out, just know you have my shoulder to cry on.
I’ll only admire you more for it.