Mar
Building better men
Inside the ‘man-box’: This is how men get a free pass
Throughout the history of mankind, society has favoured men more than women. Excuses
such as “he’s just being a man” have helped men to get a free pass to anything.
Men have coined phrases to justify their toxic behaviour and made sure they remain a superior gender.
Let’s agree bro, being a man in this modern era is ‘tough’ but it has its privileges too.
There’s so much we get away with as men not because we’re smarter but simply because we’re men.
In the ‘man-box’, men are expected to be strong, fearless, and emotionless. On the other
hand, women are perceived as property of men and having less value than men. Of course,
things are slowly changing but we still have a long way to go. In most cultures, women are
still censored and excluded while men make decisions on their behalf.
Do you think male privileges exist?
Men go through ‘middle age crisis’ and society calls it
just a phase. How many times women have been told “be patient with him” or “he’ll come to
his senses”? Let’s look at ‘free passes’ society only grants to men.
“Boys will be boys”
This phrase is used to normalize men being violent, aggressive, and sexist. Women are
expected to accept it as ‘what it is’. If a guy is in trouble for crossing the line or misconduct,
“boys will be boys” is a sufficient explanation and an apology altogether. It’s strange that we
never heard “girls will be girls” to excuse women for misbehaving.
“It’s men’s business”
Women have been kept in the dark for so long. In some cultures, women can’t have an
opinion in matters that concern men. It could be an issue a mother can’t discuss even if it
concerns her son. That’s just how it is – men’s business is exclusively for men’s ears only.
The credit is always given to the men for the good things, but the blame is pointed to the
women for not ‘knowing better’.
There are million more phrases that are enabling men to continue their toxic behaviour. Of
course, it can’t be a “woman’s job” to fix it but ours as men. It’s time as gents we take
responsibility and address such toxic behaviours.
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interesting article