While I was
reading “What Are Little Boys Made Of” by Michael Kimmel, I came across some
quote that got my mind running.
1. “The Boy Code teaches them that they
are supposed to be in power and thus to act like it. The “ruffle in a manly
pose,” as Yeats puts it “for all their timid heart.”
a. In our society, men are thought of as
protectors of women. They are the strong defenders for the weak and fragile “home
makers”. In my head, it seems every king needs an heir to the throne. That heir
happened to be little boys. Boys are taught at young ages not to be emotional
and scrawny. They are taught to withhold
all their “girlish” emotions to grow up to be like their fathers, uncles, etc.
To me, that is a LOAD of crap. Why do little boys have to hide what they are
feelings because society says it makes them look pathetic? Keeping in these
emotions often lead to the things boys are known for; violence, anger,
depression etc. Boys, and men, should not need to act like unemotional individuals
because they do not what to act like women. NOT ALL WOMEN ARE WEAK AND
HELPLESS. Showing emotion, no matter what age or gender you are, does not make
you any less than the next person.
2. “Cute blond boys stare at us from the
books’ covers, while inside the authors ignore large numbers of boys whose pain
and low self-esteem may have to do with insecurities and anxieties that are
more economical and politically rooted.”
a. Every person has felt pain and low
self-esteem at least once in their lives. Believe it or not, boys have felt/
feel it too. Boys have appearance issues just like girls do, but no one ever
talks about it because they area boys. Some boys stare at the mirror and wonder
if they look ok enough, to look normal. Boys suffer pain sometimes, but who
would tell. When authors and others write boys as always happy confident human
beings, they are telling a big lie. Some boys do not have enough money, financially,
to be “swagged out”. Sometimes I just wish every boy and girl can be happy, proud,
loved with what they have instead of stressing what they think they need to
have.
3. “Feminist imagine, and demand, that
men (and boys) can do better. Feminism offers the possibility of a new boyhood
and a new masculinity based on a passion for justice, a love of equality, and
the expression of full range of feelings.”
a. YESSS!!! This quote here sums up how I’m
feeling right about now. In my fantasy of new boyhoods and manhood’s, every boy
and man (homosexual, straight, black, white, etc.) will be accepted wherever
and however. With equality to women and girls, guys and boys can proud display
their emotion without a simple passed judgment on their character. However, in
this world, it is a fantasy. Nothing is going to be perfect, but something can
and/or will change for the better
CRY ON MY FRIENDS!
In my head, it seems every king needs an heir to the throne. That heir happened to be little boys.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE THIS! I think that is such an awesome comparison and fits perfectly with the quote :)
Why thank you :D
ReplyDelete"In our society, men are thought of as protectors of women." Don't even get me started on this. I thought your whole post on this article was great! I especially liked this quote because it's all we see in movies and tv shows. It's all about the white man saving the damsel in distress because we all know that women can't protect themselves (that's sarcasm btw!). It is one of those tropes that I absolutely can't stand and get me so riled up ugh. In any case, yes, I definitely think that the media influences the way we raised children and the way boys grow up to be. Monkey see, monkey do.
ReplyDeleteAlso, "CRY ON MY FRIENDS"! Fml I laughed out loud at this in the library.