A “real” man is strong, he can take a punch. A “real” man should be able to solve his own problems, and everyone else’s. He can build something from nothing. He is a hard rock, standing strong in a rushing river– slowly and unknowingly washing away into the ocean. He is emotionless; he makes decisions on facts and not his heart. When asked questions he shares what is important, and nothing personal. He withholds his pain, his suffering, his anguish. He is but a machine for productivity. He always gets what he wants. He does not take “no” for an answer.
Social norms for men are appalling. The way men are expected to act is limiting to individual identity, and can cause even more health issues than we think. From youth boys are shaped to think in gender specific ways, preparing them for their positions of power when they reach adulthood. Society tells us that men are strong, but are they really cowards? Why is it that men have more untreated health problems than women? It can be attributed to the constant uphold of male gender identity, and fear of being ridiculed, or even beaten if these norms are not upheld.
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Recent studies have proven that men are less likely to consult a mental health physician; specifically for ailments including, “substance abuse, stress and depression.” Links to the cause of this can be found by looking into how established male gender roles affect male development. Gender is an individual outward representation of one’s sex. It is nothing but an outward presentation of individual identity; a performance.
The gender norms in place in any given society greatly shape the way a young man develops into adulthood. Society puts high standards on young men. As a young boy you often hear people say, “suck it up,” “It’s time to be a man,” or “Don’t act like a girl!” These small, seemingly harmless phrases poke holes in the individual identity that is just beginning to form in that young person. Boys who can not be tough enough, manly enough, or competitive enough are pushed to the side-lines and teased. This contributes to what psychologists call male gender role conflict. This is the strain caused to a male individual’s mental state when he cannot adhere to gender norms. (Pederson & Vogel 373) This makes men prone to thinking that if they share distressful information, then they are weak.
The level to which a male identifies with male gender norms can shape how he reacts to any given situation. A couple is on a long drive, trying to find a restaurant in a new city. They are plainly lost, but the male driver refuses to admit his failure. “Why don’t we ask for directions?” His partner asks. He just circles around the city until he eventually gives in and seeks assistance. This model fits exactly male attitudes toward seeking treatment for their ailments.
Why do these gender behaviors bleed over into health prevention? How do these norms pervade through all aspects of male cognitive function? Is it because they can physically handle more pain? Do they think they are invincible? Do they have some sort of deathwish? Or are they just scared? To find the answers to these questions, we look to the studies of psychologists.
One study recently found that some gender norms do in fact uphold. Men can tolerate more pain than women. Researchers conducted a study on 100 college students, male and female. The study uncovered that male gender role conflict affected the pain threshold of men. (128) This means that the difference between the first level of shock they said felt painful, and the level of shock they said was unbearable and needed to end experimentation. Other studies before this have connected having a wider pain tolerance to motivation. Males who reported identifying more with their gender have higher stakes because they earlier reported that men could tolerate more pain than women.
These feed in to male fear of stigma, or causing disgrace to your male counterparts.. This may make a man question his every action and reaction. “The prescription of the male gender role that men should be independently, controlled, and self-sufficient may lead to increased concerns about seeking help, because seeking help may mean an inability to handle things on one’s own” (Pederson & Vogel 374). Men may not think that asking for help is an option. In fact, they may think that asking for help jeopardizes their identity and place of power as a man. Instead they may beat their head against the wall trying to fix their problem, only to make it worse. This is especially true with depression and anxiety.
It all comes down to the fact that gender norms are hurting men’s health. If we do not change our attitudes toward gender constructs we will never be able to overcome our fears and get on the road to a healthier life. To be strong one must take care of themselves. If you do not then you will be less productive, more irritable, and most likely live a shorter life. It is important to know, that no matter what you are going through there are people out there who support you and want you to do well. People will not judge you for bettering yourself. In fact, they will probably respect you more.
