How Patriarchy Impacts Men

To go out on a limb here and claim that a system that is designed in a way wherein men are given primary importance is, ironically, harmful to men, would be a courageous standpoint. As bizarre as it may sound, men are often turned into silent victims in a patriarchal society. 

This goes back to the day when, in patrilineal societies, princes would inherit the king's dynasty, and princesses were married off, let alone giving them any property rights, as women were said to be the 'property' of the in-laws. That was unfavourable for the women of that epoch, but men too were expected to accept this more-than-generous offer and rule a kingdom mercifully. They were seldom put in a situation in which they could verbalise their feelings and make this decision for themselves. 

Considering it was said to be their birthright, it's something they couldn't have avoided even if it seemed like an unsolicited burden. 

This, unfortunately, continued in the modern era, albeit taking different forms. From the time they're inside their mother's womb, families in a somewhat toxic society would have the highest aspirations from their son. 

Even though it can have a positive impact on a child, the pitfalls are ordinarily overlooked. Psychological research suggests that a baby is not born with any fear apart from that of falling. No child is born a rapist/racist/misogynist. They're born as egalitarians. It's us as a society that teaches the notions and the apprehensions. Starting from the day they open their eyes, everything associated with boys is of the colour blue. 

This makes them learn that something as subjective as a favourite colour is, well, not personal anymore. They're frequently given race-cars as toys because they are stated to be 'manly', reprimanded when they pick a doll up to play and judged when they are fascinated by make-up. Everything that should be intuitive turns into what they now look at through prejudiced glasses of preconceived convictions. 

This experience is not what they encounter only via worldly things, but also through their emotions. Axioms like 'man up' or 'don't cry like a girl' is precisely what encourages the impression of toxic masculinity. If a little man is shrugged every time he wants to express himself, it will gravely impact his self-image and his relationships. 

Although the vulnerability is an emotion that no one wants to undergo, we can't help but experience it merely because we're humans, and it's inevitable. By making men sit on a pedestal, we unconsciously snatch away their freedom to embrace who they are. It's paradoxical that though toxic masculinity asserts to ingrain the strength in men to toughen up in crisis, in reality, it's only instilling the fear of sensitivity and judgements. 

If patriarchy had to be explained in a single line, it would be 'it discriminates seem okay.' The social system evidently, and sometimes subtly, implants the normalcy of male dominance and the fright of challenging something that is so profoundly etched into the human psyche. 

Stating the obvious, it's unfortunate for the women who face the ramifications of this engraved social system, and there's an utter need for reform. On the other hand, it'll be safe to say that men, too, endure its consequences socially, psychologically, and physically. The reason as to why feminism is crucial for all the genders is that it aims to find a middle ground wherein inequality is disbanded.  

Notwithstanding what one might have learnt in their youth, the critical element to its rectification is just a single word: relearn. To bring a change for yourself and the world, it's indispensable for one to educate themselves. Read, observe, think, rethink, act, and relearn to form an opinion that's far from the bais, but in harmony with the perception of fluidity. Escape from the airtight boxes of unwritten presumptions is long-due, and it'll only be triumphant when we build a camaraderie based solely on respect and empathy between the sexes.