A common reaction I see from boys when they hear me about gender inequality is an eye roll, and I can tell that they're thinking something along the lines of "not this again." But feminism isn't constant man-bashing. There is a side to it that I don't think every guy is aware of. People need to know that feminism works to eliminate all gender stereotypes, not just those that affect women.
In our society, women are often stereotyped over dramatic as well as incapable of holding positions of power. Although women hold almost 52 percent of all professional-level jobs, they lag substantially behind men when it comes to their representation in leadership positions. They are only 14.6 percent of executive officers, 8.1 percent of top earners, and 4.6 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs, according to the Center for American Progress. Hand in hand is the belief that men are strong leaders who rarely show emotion. As these two categorizations are deeply interconnected, feminism works to bring an end to both of them.
These ideas have been reinforced since the beginning of civilization. Almost every positively viewed male in ancient mythology is the picture of masculinity. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, two of the oldest pieces of literature, Odysseus is pictured as a mighty hero arriving home from his triumphant victory. Hercules and Zeus are two of the most powerful figures in Greek myths as a result of their immense strength and power.
The Disney movies we all grew up with also promote this belief. Since childhood, we've heard stories of prince charming riding in on his white horse and rescuing a princess from imminent danger. Fairy tales like Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Snow White (just to name a few) depict men as the heroes who rush in and save the day.
This ideology is alive in modern culture as well. Films with male leads, such as James Bond, Superman, and Indiana Jones work to minimize the main characters' display of emotional vulnerability. In every scene, directors and screenwriters try as hard as they can to depict men as strong. It teaches us that constantly keeping a straight face is what men are supposed to be doing.
It's statistically proven that men are less likely to ask for help when they're experiencing emotional disorders. According to a Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, one in five women (19.7%) and one in eight men (12.5%) are diagnosed with a common mental illness, such as anxiety, depression, panic disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder.
It's not the case that men are less likely to develop psychological issues. According to a study by Men's Health Forum, 4 in 5 suicides are completed by men, 73% of adults who 'go missing' are men and 87% of those sleeping rough are men. Looking at the prison system, the forum says men make up 95% of the prison population, with 72% of male prisoners suffering from two or more mental disorders. Also well as this, men are almost three times more likely than women to become dependent on alcohol. So, men do encounter a lot of internal issues, in some cases, more commonly than women.
Perhaps this is because when men realize that there may be something wrong mentally, they're too scared to ask for help. It all stems from the fear of being viewed as effeminate by society's standards.
This phenomenon can even keep men from pursuing particular career choices or hobbies because they're afraid these topics aren't male-oriented enough. An NPR article reveals that a very small selection of men choose majors such as art and performance, English, and foreign language.
Society doesn't only portray men in this respect, but also as people who cannot control their sexual desires. Think about the concept of dress codes. It's centered around the idea that men are so easily distracted by women's exposed bodies that they cannot fully concentrate to their best ability. Of course most men have more self control than this. These types of rules promote the idea that men are constantly mesmerized by idea of sex.
The first thing can we do to eliminate these harmful stereotypes is acknowledge their existence. So, to the boys who don't identify as feminists, the next time you hear a girl talking about gender stereotypes, don't be so quick to shut her out. You might have something interesting to add to the conversation.
