My parents and school teachers and peers made it very clear to me that if you show emotion such as sadness, jealousy, frustration, fear, or anxiety, you were not living up to being a male and thus are weak and deserving of punishment, physical violence, and social isolation and ridicule.
Where did you grow up? That was absolutely not my experience as a kid in Indiana.
Upstate New York
Maybe it's different there, I don't know. Or maybe it was a different era? I grew up in the 80s and I just never have gotten that sort of impression from the people around me and I am not one to hide my emotions.
It was the early 2000s. Teachers would say things like “you’re acting like a girl, show everyone you are a man” and whatnot. Guess you got lucky and I’m glad to hear it.
My parents and school teachers and peers made it very clear to me that if you show emotion such as sadness, jealousy, frustration, fear, or anxiety, you were not living up to being a male and thus are weak and deserving of punishment, physical violence, and social isolation and ridicule.
Where did you grow up? That was absolutely not my experience as a kid in Indiana.
Upstate New York
Maybe it's different there, I don't know. Or maybe it was a different era? I grew up in the 80s and I just never have gotten that sort of impression from the people around me and I am not one to hide my emotions.
It was the early 2000s. Teachers would say things like “you’re acting like a girl, show everyone you are a man” and whatnot. Guess you got lucky and I’m glad to hear it.
Good times, noodle salad.