boys don't cry

I have to disagree with Sarah Palin on this one. I just heard a clip where she said if she broke down crying ala John Boehner while talking about the future of our children and grandchildren, she would be mocked. Oh, there's no doubt about that. But she'd be mocked because she's Sarah Palin, not because she's a woman. On the contrary, I think the double standard is the other way around. It's definitely not kosher for dudes to cry in public without being mocked to some degree. Unless their dog just died or they've lost a limb in a tragic wood shipper incident. From Brett Favre to John Boehner to those televangelists we all grew up watching, guys aren't supposed to cry in public.

Here's the thing, though. When I heard John Boehner crying (I still haven't seen it, only heard it on talk radio) I thought, my God, man, compose yourself. And then I had to wonder, is this like when I start crying and it's just unstoppable? There have been a few instances in my life where I've just started crying, say, at work, and it was really bad timing, or unwarranted, and I don't even know why I started crying. And I don't mean weeping uncontrollably, just tearing up and needing a moment to compose myself, but still, crying like Mr. Boehner. I completely chalked it up to hormones, honestly. I thought, well, I'm a chick and we have all of those hormones to deal with all the time. Yeah, that must be it. And for the most part, guys don't do that. At least not that I've seen.

Obviously, men cry. They're not robots. Okay, so they're robots that can cry. And carry heavy things for us. But they have feelings and passions and are fully justified in crying if they need/want to. I think this is one of those double standards that is going to die hard. If at all. And so what? It makes me uncomfortable when guys cry around me. That doesn't mean they shouldn't or won't. On the scale of double standards that deserve our time and attention, this one is of minimal importance.