Equal Rights and Society

Male & Female Roles in Modern American Society Being a Man From time immemorial, the society has placed unnecessary pressure on men. There has been a great expectation on masculinity when compared to feminism. Whereas there have been several advocacies for gender inequality, such has always been skewed towards the rights of women in the society. This has largely been successful in emphasizing the equal rights of women to men. However, the society has ignored the struggle for equal rights of men.

Statements such as "be a man" are often used in society in reference to men. Such phrases imply that men have other physical, emotional and psychological abilities that women lack. The frequent use of such phrases in society serves to put men under pressure to behave and act in a certain way. The use of such phrases in society against men has served to increase insensitivity and lack of feeling about men.

The right implication of the phrase "be a man" is that requires men to stop being empathetic and sensitive to the needs of the others in the society. Consequently, this has born another breed of men that do not care about people around them. They are not empathetic to situations other people are going through. They are insensitive to the needs of other people around them. Whereas these are negative traits of men in the society, the society has played a key role in creating them.

Secondly, the phrase "be a man" forces men to conduct and behave in a certain way that they would have not had they been left to choose their behavioral pattern. It imposes unnecessary pressure on men forcing them to behave in a way that is contrary to their natural way of behavior. As Paul Theroux notes, "The whole idea of manhood in America is pitiful, in my opinion. This version of masculinity is a little like having to wear an ill-fitting coat for one's entire life" (Theroux 309).

These masculinity requirements lead men to suffer without expressing their suffering in public. If there is a genuine concern for gender equality in the society then there is need to eliminate the use of such phrases and acknowledge the fact that men require some freedom from such oppressive expectations. Psychological research has continuously demonstrated that men and women have equal emotional and psychological capabilities. Most feminists who fight for the rights of women have consistently used this argument to advance their agenda that both men and women are equal.

However, it is interesting to note how this notion changes when considering masculinity. The phase used against men often insists that men have extra abilities than women. This is untrue but as it lacks scientific evidence to support it. Given the proven psychological and emotional similarity between men and women, placing an extra expectation on men serves to strain them beyond what they can accommodate. It is imperative to note that beyond the differences in physical appearance between men and women, both genders are equal in all respect.

Perceptions that depict men as extra superior only create a set of expectations that men are obliged to follow. As the Psychological Association of America notes "men and.