Bye Bye Boxy

How will I promote positive masculinity?  

 

It’s been a fun couple of weeks ripping up the Man-Box, but I’m still a little surprised that we’re done for the year.

 

I knew going in the Wellness classes are meant to brief, but it feels like only yesterday we discussing behaviors associated with the socially created and policed gender roles.

 

You know, typical college stuff,

 

But while the course itself is over, there’s still one last assignment to complete.

 

It doesn’t have a due date and won’t show up on any syllabus.

 

But after learning all of information, there is a sense that we are responsible for doing something with it.

 

But what?

 

While it’s tempting to want to make a big to-do over this, I think simple actions are going to give us the best results.

 

Sure you can write a research paper or two or start an additional program, but the smaller changes we make in our lives now will no doubt prove to just, if not more, impactful as something that comes with a bibliography attached.

 

I think everyone’s reactions to the question, “how will I promote positive masculinity?” will differ, but after a little brainstorming I’ve come up with my own list of goals and ideas for it.

 

  1. If you hear or see something promoting negative masculinity, use “ouch, oops, educate” to set the record straight.
  2. Make sure guy friends know you’re cool with them being themselves, no matter how that fits in the box
  3. Recognize that you still have a lot to learn on positive masculinity yourself
  4. Be patient, changes take time whether big or small
  5. Don’t forget everything you learned just because you don’t have class anymore (and encourage others to take the class too)

 

Pretty simple right? But like I said before I think it’s the simple actions that are going to help lead to bigger, more complex changes.

 

So for now I’ll just stick to those five things and see what happens.

 

I’m not too worried though, boxes are petty breakable things after all.