Modern Masculinity and How It Shapes Today’s Society.

Mainstream media often portrays African-American men and boys, as criminals, crime victims and predators. Unarmed black men are being killed at excessive rates and that is because the perception of African-Americans and other people of color as inferior to whites are rooted in this nation’s legacy of racial hierarchy.

In today’s society showing any kind of emotion as a man shows weakness. Men in general are taught to be providers and defenders of the family.  Taught in order to be a real man you must lack certain morals and ethical standards. Growing up, young boys are told to “man-up”, “stop crying like a little girl”, or to “stop crying before I give you something to cry over”. This sense of toxic masculinity is deep rooted decades back due to the need of having to ” prepare ” boys for the real world. These tactics only breed cold -hearted men who are unable to love correctly.

This is in no way to discourage having a tough influence and keeping our young men accountable. To keep them accountable we must explain situations instead of simply sayin “because I said so”. We tell our young kings to be strong and to do what they have to, to get ahead. Not realizing that this only disrupts their being. It dehumanizes them making them in turn become the stereotypes they already battle.

Major brands are trying to combat these stereotypes. During the Super Bowl, a leading razor maker combated toxic masculinity by releasing the nearly two minute ad that challenged their own popular motto “ the best a man can get”. The saying has been in use over 30 years, was challenged by acknowledging the #MeTooMovement, bullying, and fighting. Going against the belief that “boys, will be boys”.The ad was met with plenty of criticism, but it sparked a very important dialogue about modern masculinity.

As we start to go into a more progressive future we can only hope that all the old heteronormative roles will stay in the past. If I had a dollar for every time I was told to “man up” or to “stop crying before I give you something to cry about” I would be college debt free. Growing up with a single mother, people from the outside looking in would challenge if my mother was too soft on me. She raised me to be compassionate, loving, honest, and trustworthy. She instilled values, that to me meant more than any preconceived notion of what a man should be.

 Men come in different shades, shapes, and backgrounds. It is up to us as a community to enforce accountability of actions instead of outdated macho stereotypes.