I posted this on Facebook. On TV a dad mourning his kid’s death was asked how he was so calm and he said he had to be strong and keep it together for his family. I just wish our culture would stop with the strength being the stoic non emotional guy and guys needing to protecting their partners and kids to avoid “falling apart” and mothers who are being “emotional” and therefore weak continues the stigma of being emotional seen as a weakness in men. What about him crying with his wife and kids and modeling that it’s ok to be sad and being emotional after a loss is not a weakness but a strength. Be sad and hold each other. There’s nothing to protect except your humanness and giving up the macho stereotype. If he’d said he was calm because he was in shock that would have been totally human too. Being sad and angry etc doesn’t make you a weak person and kids need to see their dad’s cry sometimes especially when it’s a huge loss.
That was the post. I also recentlye academy reflected on the weird moment at that Will Smith assaulted Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about his wife. Some of the immediate responses were disgusting, especially the idea that he was protecting his wife’s honor and demanding Rock respect his wife. Now he’s apologized etc. but some were spouting that sexist idea that it was understandable for this famous actor to go up stage and assault Rock, as though women need this kind of protection and impulsively assaulting someone for your wife is admirable. Obviously most people didn’t condone his actions. Most of all Jada was the one who could have stood up and said calmly you need to stop this now. I find it offensive. Then Rock could have apologized and modeled especially to kids the right way to do things if you feel insulted in that context.
Obviously if someone is physically bullying you at school hitting the person back in self defense might be the right action for any genders.
We know how sexist this country has continued to be and maybe worse- the prospect of Roe v Wade being overturned is so close to The a Handmaid’s Tale, it’s scary.
6 Impossible Things For Breakfast 