Louis Michael: Hyper masculinity is a plague on the modern man
Hyper-masculinity dictates that in order to be a man you must in no way resemble a woman; being even remotely feminine strips you entirely of your masculinity. This then means that conventionally feminine traits such as tenderness, compassion and empathy are strictly off limits. The man determined to be perceived as a man by society must alienate themselves from all emotion that is considered feminine. In place of these feminine emotions men are permitted lust to present sexual prowess, rage to show off strength, and bravado to display courage. By limiting the expressiveness of man within the parameters of this concept of hyper-masculinity men are corralled into a specific mould.
76 per cent of suicide cases are men, and suicide is the single biggest killer of men under 50. These figures have been consistently increasing, and are the worst they have ever been. In my experience it is this expectation that is to blame. Men feel they must fulfil this masculine role in order to be a man, and when some inevitably cannot, the message from society that they are not real men is understandably too much to bear. But more than this, many men are unable to deal with the disassociation from emotion that the hyper-masculine persona requires. In this highly pressurised world they would rather not live at all than live emotionally stunted – rather take their lives than have a half-life.
To me, hyper-masculinity is about rooting your identity in your gender. There is so much more to everyone than their reproductive organs and the societal expectations that surround them!
We are told to be ourselves, while simultaneously being expected to remain within strict parameters that dictate our quality of life. I say life is too short and too beautiful to waste it feeling constricted in any way! Wear the colours you feel beautiful in, sing the songs that let you shed your worries, behave the way you would if judgement didn’t exist. Because when you do, you’ll be taking the first steps towards a world where judgement doesn’t exist.
