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Written By: Kaylah Nguyen
Like venom tainting the skin of a host from a parasite
It spreads swiftly and rapidly, dominating the
Minds of men
The mirror reflecting manly
But interior reflecting exhausted
Exhausted at mending every mental crack with the
Most inefficient of glue
Till at all falls apart
Because "boys don't cry"
Coarse and not frilly because feminine men should Not identify as such
Trucks because even a glance at a doll
Would lead to bullying
Societal torture
In the blink of an eye
The mirror can only tell so much of what the body truly wants to tell
A smile where the mouth is
Where there should be a speaking tongue
That stays silent and still
Despite wanting to say a thousand words that he feels he cannot say
Eyes devoid of emotion
Where there should be tears
Letting emotions creep in and leave on their own
Because expression makes less of a man
A smile kept on all day until dawn
Until he lets himself break at eve on his own
With muffled cries
Letting no one know that he is humane
Because fragile and emotional
Strong and courageous
Cannot coexist
I urge him to cry by my side
Letting him learn all the human things he never got to do
Wishing that masking and suppressing weren't all he knows
Intoxicated and manipulated by unjust ideologies
By toxic masculinity
Description/Why I Choose This Topic: Society is used to fitting those who identify as men and women into a box, to fit stereotypes that have been carried down for generations upon the very establishment of America, and other countries, ideologies affected deeply by the patriarchy. I wrote this piece to illuminate issues that are commonly seen when men are sucked into these ideologies, and manipulated about the stereotypes that make or break the image of a man. Men, you are all seen, heard, and understood, and it is my greatest desire that you will be able to break these unrealistic expectations, to learn and express and love yourself as you are, and not for what society wants you to be.
