#paulkivel

[ralfyjjc-blog]

Act Like a Man by Paul Kivel

This article is soooo relatable because growing up i saw these type of things. When i was younger i was considered “soft” because i was not as aggressive as the other guys, demanding or emotionally strong and i was ridiculed for it. I did not understand why but as I got older i started to realize it was because the other guys were taught to be in control because, well for one reason, apparently that is how you got the girl. This act like a man box that Kivel speaks about is probably a social construct society gives to us so that we know that we are the dominant ones and that if we are not we will be pushed around and thrown into the gutter. Showing emotion and being kind is seen as feminine traits when in reality we are all human beings and have the right to express ourselves the way we see fit. Doing such does not emasculate us by any means, it just shows that we are more mature and that we adapted to society in a way they thought we could not.

[vemodalenx]

The Act-Like-a-Man Box

Society has a way of telling everyone the “right way” to act. Boys are taught to be tough, not act like girls, fight, watch sports, be violent, etc. That’s when, according to society, a boy can be called a man. There is a way that males should act in order to be considered masculine. When they're not, they get treated differently than those who are. They get called different names which often appeal to be feminine and are not found desirable. Males are taught that they must be tougher than females or else they will be seen as soft, gay, or weak. Males are also taught to not show their emotions because it is considered to be too feminine. The Act-Like-a-Man Box is an interesting way of presenting us with the effects of verbal and physical abuse on males. Males are told to be in control of everything in their lives. For that same reason, they are seen as superior to women. It’s not only women who get taught to act like women by society, men are also taught to act like men.