Have you cried before? If you have, you’ve most likely felt much better after it. “shedding emotional tears releases oxytocin and endorphins. These chemicals make people feel good and may also ease both physical and emotional pain. In this way, crying can help reduce pain and promote a sense of well-being.” According to MedicalNewsToday.
Statistically, “In the United States, women cry an average of 3.5 times per month and men cry an average of 1.9 times a month.” According to MedicalNewsToday. Do men cry less than women, or are we not getting the full picture?
The stereotype that men cry less than women is more complicated than it seems. Though the statistics claim that men cry less than women, what about the men who cry in silence? Most men who cry don’t let others such as friends and family know, but why?
A common stereotype targeted towards men is that men are too big and tough to cry. When individuals who believe in this stereotype witness a man cry, they believe it is uncommon and strange. No matter the gender, everyone, man or woman, should be able to cry without it seeming weird and uncommon to others.
Crying is a normal thing, for every gender, no matter what. Losing a football game, something or someone close passing away, or getting scolded, all these things have made me cry before. I used to feel weak every time I cried, as it was extremely easy for me to cry.
I learned that crying is normal for everyone, but from my own experience, you need to learn how to control your emotions. When your emotions take over, you don’t think rationally and can make very bad decisions.
The fact of the matter is men do not feel comfortable crying today. This is mainly due to how boys are raised in today’s world. When getting injured or crying, some parents have the ideology that their male children shouldn’t cry, as they were born as boys and not girls. “Crying is for girls. Don’t be a little girl. Boys don’t cry.” These are just some of the most common phrases used.
Furthermore, Social expectations and Cultural stereotypes are the two biggest reasons why, “men can’t cry.” Social expectations teach men to suppress their emotions and hide their feelings. It makes them feel as if crying makes them weak. Cultural stereotypes make men crying seem abnormal, mostly in public.
