#the violence associated with manhood and masculinity are chains that bind us

[uncanny-tranny]

The idea that manhood is a type of violence that can be wielded is definitely something that I've found impacts me - the idea that to be a man, I have to fight and bleed for it, that fostering anything else is sacrilege. It's honestly really sad to look at cis men who are entrenched in this idea because it's a curse. I've also found this threat of violence wielded against me in order to "prove" I'm not a man, that if I can not beat people into submission that I am not truly worthy of manhood.

I ultimately see this viewpoint of manhood as fragile - not because manhood or masculinity is inherently so, but because it relies so heavily on other people and if they approve of their manhood. It relies on climbing on other people through any means necessary. Should our manhood only be expressed through the blood on our knuckles? Is it right that we bathe ourselves in so many layers of machismo and false arrogance that our true selves are frozen beneath layers upon layers of apathy and fear?