Men can be just as emotional as women. The problem lies in society, which penalizes them more for expressing feelings and showing their vulnerability. Sensitive, empathetic, vulnerable and even sentimental. Indeed, men are as emotional as women; however, for a long time it has been assumed that this territory was exclusive to the feminine. Emotions and their expressiveness were, until recently, an unmistakable symbol of weakness and even "hysteria". Gender stereotypes have always been traditional motivators of discrimination, in turn paving the way for certain ideas that can later be difficult to refute. For centuries we have assumed that masculinity is synonymous with strength, restraint, resolution and courage.
Femininity, on the other hand, has been associated with fragility derived from an emotionalism on the surface. Something that invalidates and reveals instability. Moreover, boys don't cry is a message that influences many men mentally. Above all, those previous generations. Tears and emotionality belong to the weaker sex, i.e. women, those who are allowed to express what they feel, but not without sometimes being labeled as soft or even hysterical. Indeed, gender-related prejudices, so deeply rooted in patriarchal society, have traditionally vetoed the male gender in many ways. One of them, the most classic, lies in the impossibility of expressing what they feel. Acts such as crying, showing vulnerability, demonstrating passion or sensitivity are exercises that require adequate and necessary restraint.
In this sense, this socialization oriented to repress emotions, translates, in many cases, into a lack of literacy in this matter. It is obvious that they experience sadness, happiness, anguish, hope and joy in the same way as women. But they are forced to be restrained, to conceal what hurts, to contain what they feel. To leave inside what should be expressed outside. Neither emotional stability is a trait of men, nor the fluctuations of the female gender. We are all emotional beings with our occasional ups and downs. Each of us is a person who processes reality through the filter of the emotional, and who reacts to stimuli through this channel. Some better and others worse.
In the same vein, no gender is more emotional than the other. The problem lies in repression, in dysfunctional education and in the very gender stereotypes that continue to mold us completely. It is time to dismantle many of these outdated ideas in order to acquire better competence in this area. Because whoever is skilled in the art of emotions, is skilled in the journey of life. Many of us carry the weight of unfinished situations that melt into us like tin. Life, then, hurts, slows us down and distorts reality. We see everything with more shades of gray, we lack courage and even the mind has difficulty thinking clearly and making decisions. The truth is that, on average, it is usually quite difficult for us to manage in this psychological universe.
In conclusion, to put into words what we feel is to give space and presence to what happens to us. However, we often choose to repress or avoid any emotion we feel, especially if it has a negative valence. Disappointments, fears, sadness and anguish are relegated to a "disaster drawer" in the depths of the mind. Making use of healthier thinking means speaking to ourselves with respect without invalidating what we feel. No one is weak or defective for accepting that they feel hurt. Nor for allowing ourselves to be vulnerable and suffer for what hurts, and to vent what generates anger or frustration. True intelligence lies in giving presence to each emotion, understanding its message, not allowing ourselves to be dragged by it and regulating it.
What do you think about men's emotionality?
Disclaimer: I would like to let you know that English is not my mother tongue, I may even make some mistakes in the elaboration of sentences in my posts. Feel free to correct me attentively. It will help me in my learning process.
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