Hey Guys? Women are Struggling, Too.
While we like to think we’re a selfless lot, men can be pretty gosh darn me-focused at times. It’s the truth. We get so caught up in everything going on in our lives that we forget that other people have problems, too. That’s certainly true of the women in our lives.
I know you don’t want to read this but women are struggling in life just as hard as men are across the board. Life isn’t easy for anyone. I think it would be incredibly beneficial for men to take a step back and realize we don’t have a monopoly on being dealt bad hands by the universe.
Men Take a Lot of Big Hits
There is a mental health crisis among men around the world. That’s well-established at this point. We live in a world that wants us to be strong and stoic but also open with our emotions. Somehow, we’re supposed to be classic men and modern men at the same time.
Many of these mental health issues seems to stem from loneliness. Particularly in Westernized countries, it has become increasingly difficult for men, straight, gay or otherwise, to find a life partner. Online dating has contributed to difficulties in finding a partner for men who feel disposable.
On top of all of that, we’re still expected to work hard, take care of everyone else before ourselves, and be happy while we do it. People preach that men need to practice self-care better, yet create environments for us that make us feel selfish when we do.
When it comes to being a man, there are a lot of unspoken rules and contradictions that no one explains when you’re young which you learn about the hard way. Guess what, guys? Women have their own unspoken rules and contradictions to deal with, too.
Women Take a Lot of Big Hits, Too
Being a modern woman is as difficult as it is being a modern man. At the same time society was telling men to be more in touch with their emotions, it was telling women to be less emotional. Yet, they’re expected to still be compassionate and maternal.
Women are constantly expected to put everything and everyone before themselves. That’s double true if they have a partner or spouse. That’s triple true if they have kids. Just like men, they’re told to practice self-care but are called selfish when they do.
That doesn’t even take into account the horrifying parts of being a woman. Yes, men also suffer from various forms of abuse including rape. That doesn’t change the fact that women suffer from these issues in much higher numbers and at higher rates.
Plus, women have to carry babies. I was there for all of my ex-wife’s pregnancies as well as the one delivery I was allowed in the room for. After everything I witnessed, I have realized that the main miracle of pregnancy is that women are willing to go through all of that to continue our species.
A Mile in Each Other’s Shoes
Here’s the tough talk portion of the post. We all have it rough in different ways, both men and women. The world is a tough place and most of us are just barely getting by. There’s no sense in making it worse by minimizing someone’s struggle based on gender.
Men and women across the board would benefit from taking a step back from their lives, and looking at what the other side is going through. That being said, I really think men need that moment more than women do at this point in society.
Guys, a lot of the gender power imbalance in the world tips in our favor. It doesn’t always feel that way but it does. When it gets accurately called out, we often still act like big babies about it. This isn’t about you personally. It’s about society. We all need to be a bit more understanding and compassion.
Yeah, it’s one more thing men are being asked to do. But if acknowledging the struggles the women in our world are going through makes their lives even a bit better, it’s totally worth doing. And part of being a man is being willing to do what’s right when the moment calls for it. So do it.
