In the article “How Boys Become Men,” Jon Katz gives us some examples to explain why men grow up to be insensitive. Katz points out that boy are supposed to learn how to handle things by themselves and hide their weakness and tears. Boys always pressured to be tough and not allowed showing any emotions and fears. Boys’ growing up experiences has prepared their adulthoods, all the attitudes and behaviors. I agree with Katz that boys learn from other boys. However, I believe the most important idea of how boys become men is how adults treat and teach boys different from girls. In addition, boys are hearing messages that they need to be strong and tough from adults even though they are just babies. This might be the main problem that causes men to be insensitive or do not know how to express their own feeling.
Even though I do not have any experiences of how boys become men because I am not a man, I still know that adults treat boys and girls differently since they are born. For example, if a baby girl dress in pink, people usually says “What a pretty girl” and then hold them very gently. If baby boys dress in blue, they will say “What a strong little boy”. Instead of holding them gently, people usually hold a baby boy roughly and move him around. People will still say “What a pretty girl” if the baby boy was dressed in pink. I remember asking one of my four years cousin why he does not pink. We all laugh after he answered with “boys don’t wear pink, only girls wear pink and dress.”
The Essay on Why girls like pink color
Generally it is believed that girls like pink color and boys prefer blue color over others. But if one closely examines this concept (or misconception!), one realizes that it is not true. It is not that girls are genetically programmed to like pink. Then why this mass belief that girls like pink? Actually all this is a market gimmick which has been so strongly reinforced on our mindsets through ...
Dress differently did not affect boys to become men, but the ways that adults treat boys and girls affected the boys to be rough and girls to be gentle. I still remember I was only allowed to play with dolls and fake cooking materials. I wished to play with all those robots, cars, guns that my younger brother had. Boys are into all those fighting characters like superman, x-men, etc, while girls are forced to be interesting in Barbies and dollhouses. Boys will start fighting each other if they get into arguments. Instead of fighting, girl will find someone else to play with.
Adults are giving boys the messages that they need to be strong and tough even though they are just babies! As a girl, I receive encouraged and taught to be nurturing and sensitive to the needs of others, while boys are discouraged from expressing tender emotions and be tough. Then they become subjects to and participants in what they heard. Boys in their early childhood are trained not to cry, be tough, fearless and strong. I still remember when my younger brother felt down on the ground while he was learning how to ride a bicycle. My mom and I were expected and told him to pull himself back up and try again instead of sitting on the ground and asking for help. Another example, my friends and I went for a scary roller coaster ride last summer, then I asked one of the boys “was that scary?” he lied and said that’s is nothing to be scare of. The reason I knew he was scared because I was his leg shaking after the ride.
Many boys feel out of touch with emotions that they do not understand and do not know how to handle. Even if they understand this disconnection, most of them would not have the tools to talk about it or the people with whom to discuss it. According to my experiences, we girls are falling for the “I don’t know” and “I don’t care” excuses. It is not that we really do not know the answers, but we are just trying to pretend that we do not know so that we can ask for helps. This way we can always get the answers correctly. Therefore, girls always ask for helps, but boys never do. That is why boys need to handle things by themselves and not asking for any help at all. Therefore, boys just make decision, which they think is the best. I remember asking a male’s friend few years ago if he thinks boys are dominant or not. His answer was that boys did not intend to be dominant or control somebody; they just want to give what they think is the best for others.
The Term Paper on Elementary, Middle and Highschool Boy-Girl Relationship
Is it too soon to talk about boy/girl relationships in elementary school? Of course it is, you say! Well, you may not want to hear about it, or you may choose denial over reality, but the fact remains that children are playing out the cultural role that they are being taught as early as 2nd grade. Therefore, the relationship between boys and girls at every school (Christian and non- Christian) is ...
I agree with Jon Katz that boys are forced to hide their emotions and fears that are why men become insensitive. However, it is their parents, society and everyone around them who affect the boys to become the men that they should be. If people treat boys same as how they treat the girls, I guess men will act the same way as women.
