Being a Man is Not Blue

A man or a boy who shows the qualities (such as strength and courage) that men are traditionally supposed to have —this is how a dictionary defined a man. In the past years, human civilization restricted being a man with a shallow specific standard. Almost all men live following the pathetic meaning of the word masculinity, that a man should be strong, brave, superior, powerful and tough.

Kids from my generation have been given the absurd idea that blue is for men and pink is for girls. This simple thing is one of the examples of the stereotypes about manliness that the world developed unknowingly. It is personally intriguing that a few, if not nobody, ever noticed the origin of this dilemma. The wrong mentality of what being a man is have been hastily injected into the rotten system by judgmental minds and indecent principles.

Being a man should not just mean being strong, but being strong and using that strength to protect and defend. This strength does not only pertain to physical strength, but also to emotional, social, psychological, moral, and spiritual strength. If a person could use this strength to shield for other people, then he is a man.

Being a man should mean being brave and courageous, but using this courage to admit mistakes, to acknowledge faults, and to accept defeat. A person who has enough valor to embrace his flaws and incompetence is a man.

Being a man is not about being superior, but knowing how to bring other people up. It is knowing how to prioritize other people first and receive orders from companions. It is knowing how to serve sincerely and honestly to experience mutual gain.

Being a man should mean being powerful, but using this power to implement justice, equality and freedom. The most impotent person who never abuses his power is a man. Being a man is exercising equity despite of being low.

Being a man should mean being tough, and at the same time, knowing how to care. A real man should be able to deal with difficult situations without being too insensitive of other people's feelings and emotions. Care makes a man tougher.

Masculinity is not the opposite of femininity. The two has very few different sides. A man could have a relationship with the same gender but still be a man. The purpose of being a man is just like the purpose of being a woman: to live life as a responsible individual that respects the rights of others.

The concept of being a man is vast and this paper may not be able to contain its vastness for a thousand and one reasons. But I am telling you, being a man is not blue. It is the amalgam of every contrasting color, forming another ambiguous color no one can define. It should not be limited by any specific standard. There are no criteria for being a man.