“So I try to laugh about it, cover it all up with lies. I try to laugh about it, hiding the tears in my eyes. Cause boys don’t cry, boys don’t cry.” This classic song by ‘The Cure’ potrays an attitude that is increasingly being recognized as causing great harm to boys as they grow up, pressuring them into feeling guilty or ‘weak’ for expressing their emotions in a natural and healthy way.
This Facebook post by Lyra Balearica shows that it isn’t just men that sustain this damaging cycle, it is far ingrained into western culture and many women are just as responsible. Lyra shared an anecdote about a woman who chose to berate a boy for nervous tears before getting blood drawn by telling him to ‘man up.’
Because attitudes do not change overnight, it is only by having this conversation that we can begin the process of ‘normalizing’ the freedom for boys to express themselves as they wish. Various types of research have shown the damage that emotional supression can have in later life, so learning how to respond to and regulate emotions accordingly is a vital thing for children to learn. Scroll down below to see the post for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments.
Lyra Balearica shared an story on Facebook recently
Image credits: Lyra Balearica
It went viral for the way it highlighted problematic attitudes that society has towards boys expressing their emotions
Here’s how people reacted
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below
