Why is five year old boy allowed to cry and my 23-year-old brother isn’t?

A five year old boy at the camp I worked for couldn’t find the right leaf. He came over to me and started crying. It wasn’t about the “right leaf,” it was about needing relief from whatever was going on in his big mind. As I watched him cry, I knew no one would make fun of him for crying or think it was inappropriate. Once other kids saw him crying they came up to him and asked if he was OK. Someone gave him another leaf hoping it would be the perfect one for him.

Every other boy at that camp between four to six cried that summer because they needed to get something painful out. And no one made fun of them or thought it was inappropriate.

I knew a couple years from now it wouldn’t be expectable. He would no longer cry in front of people.

I have only seen my brother cry once when he was 22. I’m sure he would’ve wished anything else to happen rather than have me see him cry. Before that day, he hadn’t cried in years.

Society has taught my brother and every other guy that he isn’t allowed to cry.

When men aren’t allowed to cry it can lead to panic attacks and anger issues. They can isolate themselves, which can ultimately lead to suicide.

Do you want my brother to commit suicide, have panic attacks, or anger issues?

Let men cry.