After watching the documentary, the first aspect that intrigued me was when they showed studies on how boys express their depression through aggrevation and by being more frustrated at external things. This contradicts how girls cope with depression as they tend to be more quiet and prefer to be alone. Boys have trouble dealing with their emotions and coping with their feelings that include sadness or stress. Girls are seen as more emotional and sensitive than boys, which is why a girl crying is more common than seeing a boy crying. “Boys believe it is not normal to cry after 10” was a quote which stood out to me as it shows how even as a young child, boys are told to be tough and to not cry in situations when crying would be the best release and coping mechanism. They’re told to be tough and to not be emotional, which is why they tend to turn to anger and violence to release their hurting inside.
The second aspect in the documentary which stood out to me was when they spoke about a man that shot someone 6 times, making this moment the only time he felt true power. He did this because he felt peer pressured into doing so to fit in, and his peers told him that he wouldnt be tough if he didnt do it. This part shows how friends and those you surround yourself with greatly impact your daily life and your motives.
In Carlos Andreas Gomez’s book, he speaks on a boy’s life experience while trying to find himself and his sexuality. He speaks on different cultures and how some things in different countries are more common than others. For example, holding hands in Zambia is considered normal, however if two people were to hold hands in America, they would be seen as being gay or in a relationship. This part stood out to me because it shows how a simple action of touching hands can be seen as two completely different things depending on the region or country.
Lovers and Fighters | Section 22 