Is it just “talk?”
The Joyful Heart Foundation has put together a series of videos saying boys will be boys.
Yes, we have heard it before. We have heard it said by mothers, fathers, law enforcement, teachers, friends. Each time we say, boys will be boys, we reinforce the stigma that boys can’t control themselves. This then allows us as a society that will say, she got raped because her skirt was too short. No one asks a man that is robbed why he had too much money in is wallet. Why should we blame a woman because she was wearing clothes? Oh, that’s right: boys will be boys.
It is time we stand up to poor conduct. It’s time we stand up to this double standard. Allowing this behavior and then excusing it because a boy or man doesn’t have control over themselves in turn makes them weak. Men are supposed to be in control. They are expected by society to be strong and powerful. Just as we expect a woman to have feelings and to subjugate our power to the men in our lives.
We as individuals in our community have the responsibility as a whole to stand up and expect our boys and men to be the people they are. To have feelings, to have desires, to have expectations of themselves and others. To be responsible for themselves and their feelings and desires. By encouraging boys and men to be responsible, we are celebrating all that they bring into society. They are not just a bundle of unmet needs that have to be met through coercion and poor conduct. They are not humans without feelings and worth only graded on their paycheck or power in our community.
We as individuals in our community have the responsibility as a whole to stand up against subjugating the power of woman. We see women graded on their appearance rather than the value of their work. Then we judge them for being victims of abuse and rape because of their dress. Woman have so much more to offer to society than a pretty face or sexy hips. Just as men have so much more to offer society than power and strength.
Men are individuals, women are individuals. They both deserve respect, honor and expectations to be the best person they can be.