My Restrictions As A Man

I welcome you to my entry on the 65th (02) week of the Hive Learner's featured post, where I would be telling us about my gender restrictions while growing up until now.

Growing up, I was always aware of the gender roles and expectations that were placed on me because of my gender. As a young boy, I often felt limited in what I could do and say due to the societal gender restrictions that surrounded me.

My story is one of fighting back against those restrictions and showing that boys are just as capable as girls. It all started at a young age.

As a child, I always loved playing with dolls and cooking toys. However, whenever I played with these toys, I was constantly reminded that these were "girly" toys and that I should be playing with trucks or building blocks.

My parents would discourage me from playing with these toys, as they believed that I should be behaving more like a typical boy. No wonder I don't know how to cook now because over the years, I was made to believe that cooking was meant mainly for girls, and as a boy is alright not to know how to cook.

At school, I was always expected to be more active and sporty, and the teachers would often comment that I needed to "toughen up" or "stop acting like a girl".* It was as if being sensitive or emotional was seen as a weakness and not a positive attribute.

As I entered middle school, the expectations for boys to conform to certain gender norms only grew stronger. Suddenly, it wasn't just about playing with "appropriate" toys or liking the "right" colors, but it was now about how we dressed, how we spoke, and how we interacted with our peers.

For example, I quickly learned that showing any emotion beyond anger or amusement was considered "weak" or "feminine." This meant that I had to suppress my own sadness, anxiety, and vulnerability in order to fit in with my male friends.

Even expressing empathy or concern for others was discouraged, as it could be seen as "unmanly." At the same time, there was a lot of pressure to be physically strong, athletic, and competitive.

Boys who didn't excel in sports or who weren't muscular back then in school were often bullied or ostracized. This made me feel like I had to prove myself constantly, even though I didn't initially really cared about sports or being the strongest.

As I grew older, these believe became more entrenched, and I began to feel restricted by my gender. I would often look at the girls around me and envy the freedom and flexibility they had to be who they wanted to be.

I knew that I wanted to break free from these gender expectations, but I didn't know how. It wasn't until I discovered the concept of gender identity that things started to make sense.

I met people who were openly queer, trans, or nonbinary, and I saw how they were challenging and subverting traditional gender roles. I also started to explore my own interests and hobbies, regardless of whether they were considered "manly" or not.

It was a long journey to unlearn the gender restrictions that had been imposed on me from a young age. But by breaking free from those expectations and embracing my true self, I was able to find a sense of peace and fulfillment that I never thought was possible.

I realized that gender is a social construct and that I didn't have to conform to these narrow expectations. This was the beginning of my journey towards breaking free from gender restrictions.

I now know better, and as such I would normally do what I wanted, regardless of the many believes and opinions of the public about things I could do and things they think I can't do.

Thanks for your time here.