Archived Bulletins

DO MEN NEED LIBERATION TOO?

By Yawa Osebreh
Class of 2006

Ever since we studied feminism in Mark Poynter's Text and Meaning Course last year, I have been wondering about the possible liberation of men. Our society speaks of female liberation; women's groups are almost everywhere now; and I guess it is politically correct to say women are experiencing a lot more freedom now than in the past. But what about the men? I mean, as a woman, I can get away with wearing trousers but can a man get away with wearing a dress? In theory, of course, a man is free to wear anything he chooses, but the reality is that everything a man learns about what it means to "be a man" tells him never to act like a woman. I have discovered that this might not be a good thing.

Some men are slowly beginning to realize that they are also trapped in a society that determines their behavior and limits their choices. Both sexes face different, yet similar problems. With regards to employment for instance, women often face the problem of being paid relatively less than their male counterparts. Whereas men face a similar problem in that they lack the psychological freedom to NOT work. That is one freedom millions of women around the world enjoy. Women, tend to choose whether or not they want to work. Men seem to feel forced. I'm sure there must be a connection between a man's need to prove his masculinity through work and prestige and the fact that men have more heart attacks, ulcers and migraines, commit 70% of the suicides, and die almost 8 years sooner than most women in the United States. The fear of expressing their 'feminine' side seems to prevent men from doing what they want.

I understood this idea better when I read about the findings of a study undertaken by two psychologists: Howard Moss (National Institute of Mental Health) and Jeremy Kagan (Harvard University). They found that a common element of high-achieving boys and high-achieving girls is that the boys do not act typically 'masculine' and the girls do not act typically 'feminine.' Their tests and interviews reveal that high-achieving boys are less outwardly aggressive than low-achieving boys. It concludes that the aggressive masculine role stymies the seriousness and self-discipline necessary for high achievement.

Maybe it is time for some large scale male liberation here. Men should have the strength to adapt the best of traditional female roles without worrying about being less of a man. I think it is possible for men to define their success by broadening their interests, even if it means changing careers or taking a job with less status and pay. Perhaps if guys could move beyond masculinity, they'd make better grades?

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