Strong Apricot

Following CNN’s suspension of popular political analyst Roland S. Martin for his controversial Super Bowl tweets, The New York Times visual Op-Ed columnist Charles M. Blow penned a fantastic opinion piece on the matter called “Real Men + Pink Suits.”

There are too many bruised ribs and black eyes and buried bodies for the targets of this violence to just lighten up and laugh. […] Words have power. And power recklessly exerted has consequences. It’s not about being politically correct. It’s about being sensitive to the plight of those being singled out. We can’t ask the people taking the punches to also take the jokes. And it’s about understanding that masculinity is wide enough and deep enough for all of us to fit in it. But society in general, and male culture in particular, is constantly working to render it narrow and shallow. We have shaved the idea of manhood down to an unrealistic definition that few can fit in it with the whole of who they are, not without severe constriction or self-denial. The man that we mythologize in the backs of our minds is a cultural concoction, an unattainable ideal, a perfect specimen of muscles and fearlessness and daring. Square-jawed and well-rounded. Potent and passionate. Sensitive but not sentimental. And, above all else, unwaveringly heterosexual and without even a hint of softness. A vast majority of men will never be able to be all these things all the time, but they shouldn’t be made to feel less than a man because of it.

THIS! I am glad to see such an astute ANALysis of America’s complex, often unmanageable view of masculinity. Martin is a scapegoat, yes, but the reasons behind his suspension demonstrate how much Americans fear masculinity.

How easily our society demonizes those that do not fit the aforementioned nigh-unattainable standards. As Blow noted, we are our own worst enemy. We allow our views of masculinity to mold our cultural attitudes into the narrow-minded tunnel of misunderstanding + anger. We need to stop drinking the haterade and start eating some humble pie. How can we raise our children to be loving, dutiful citizens if we encourage people to select + interpret religious passages to discriminate. How can we allow hate crimes legislation to stalemate on government floors? Hate cannot beget love. We need to love all despite how they fit into some subjective filter. One love.