@OverTheMooon Thank you so much for posting this. It feels like this issue is ignored or at least goes unnoticed so much. It’s difficult to just always be hearing about how terrible men are, how we’re useless, and then not feeling like we have anyone for emotional support. I went through a really difficult time a year or so ago, and I was close to giving up. I wasn’t considering suicide, but I’d been trying to be happy for so long with no success that it just begun to feel more and more hopeless. The more I tried, the worse I felt because it was just a constant reminder of how alone I was. So I was close to just accepting being unhappy and giving up trying. There’s no telling where that path would have eventually led. I say that to say I appreciate seeing some support here and acknowledging that we’re all humans, we all have struggles, and we’re in this together regardless of your gender, race, religion, orientation, etc. Thanks again ☺️
@billiam I'm glad you were able to get out of such a toxic environment. It takes a lot of courage and self-awareness to be able to reject your upbringing like that.
In a way, kids today have it a little better. It's easier to see examples of people not being awful to each other. Easier to see people not sticking within their assigned gender roles. And if they're in any way "different", easier to find other people like them.
Which isn't to say it's easy. A lot of them still have to follow the rules given to them or otherwise hide to avoid being ostracized by schools or cast out by family. But it looks like there's more hope every day. I think people like you sharing your stories can help a lot, both by showing them how people can be like that and showing them that there's a better way.
@SeekerInVA you're correct. I grew up watching my older brothers be mentally, emotionally and physically tortured and abused by my parents for crying when our dog died and walking away from a fight, among other normal reactions.
I despise using buzzwords/phrases like "traditions of patriarchy teaching". The teaching is typically abusive. The results are abusive.
The traditions are abuse.
I posted this video before and I’m doing it again. I think this thread is a great place for it.
To be a man by Dax with Darius Rucker
Great thread - great reading and great video Morpheus…
Thank you for posting this and shedding light on the issue.