Masculinity

     Today's youth are raised from the beginning to be formed with ideas of masculinity and how their life and their actions should revolve around this. This "masculinity" negatively affects boys by the way they are constantly pressured to be "tough", "dominant", and "respected". This is overwhelmingly seen through acts of violence. As boys are raised, they are constantly exposed to violence through TV ads, shows, video games, and much more. Through this violence, boys grow up with the fear the thought of being considered and seen as "gay" or "feminine" and think they can counter this threat by committing violent acts to hold up their "man-hood".  They believe that this violence and attack will gain them respect. This is how society has raised them. I can personally see the idea of how the "true man" of being big, tall, and strong can affect others. I have two older brothers. The oldest one is shorter than the his younger sibling and ways significantly less. During my older brothers high school graduation dinner, a man walked over and congratulated my younger brother on the graduation instead of the rightful older brother because the younger brother looked bigger and stronger like a "man" should be, so he  automatically saw him as the older one. This made my older brother upset, and all of this has stemmed from what society has deemed as "normal" and the necessity to influence on continuing generations.