What is the role of men in emotional expression?

  In the society we live in, emotional expression is still, far too often, a minefield for men. After discussing the taboo that still exists around talking about feelings, I felt the need to zoom in on this point: the role of men in emotional expression.
  I grew up watching my father and grandfather as figures who rarely showed emotion. I never saw a tear fall - not even during films. In contrast, my mother was always transparent about what she felt, even if it meant crying in front of everyone. It doesn’t take much to realize that, from an early age, boys are taught to hide their emotions. Not necessarily through phrases like “boys don’t cry”, but through looks, examples and/or reactions that teach us what is “acceptable” to feel - and what isn’t.
  Even when there’s a more modern narrative about the importance of vulnerability, we still see a kind of double standard: sensitive men are often praised - right up until the moment that sensitivity asks something in return. I’ve heard women say they want an emotionally available partner, but then, when he cries, he’s seen as weak. And the worst part? It usually comes from those who themselves are most emotionally expressive. The impact of that? It’s real.
  The impact of all this runs deeper than it seems. When a man is taught to silence what he feels, he’s not just suppressing sadness or pain - he’s cutting himself off from an essential part of who he is. Over time, that undermines mental health, because what’s left unsaid doesn’t vanish. It stays inside. And what stays inside, consumes.
  We see men who can’t explain why they’re anxious, irritable, or sad. We see relationships fall apart because they couldn’t express what they felt - or because no one ever taught them they were allowed to. The idea that a man has to be the unshakable pillar, the protector who never breaks, is a burden too heavy for anyone to carry alone. And no one should have to carry what they feel alone.
  In my case, I had few men in my life with whom I shared deep conversations. But I had a close friend who stood out precisely because he knew how to express his thoughts and emotions. He was one of the few people I felt I could really talk to that way. Curiously (or not), our friendship eventually fell apart bec
ause of the one emotion he couldn’t share: when he had a problem with me, he said nothing. And that’s when I realized how even the most open men still struggle with the weight of silence.
  Maybe that’s why I try, little by little, to show more of myself. Even if it’s not always easy. I’ve been seen as distant, but not because I don’t feel - because I didn’t always know how to show it. And I think a lot of men can relate to that.
  Because in the end, both the ones who say too little and the ones who feel everything and don’t know where to put it, suffer. One from lack, the other from excess. But both end up alone with what they feel.
  Maybe it’s time we start rewriting what it means to be a man. To stop seeing sensitivity as weakness and start seeing it for what it truly is: courage. Because it takes courage to look within, courage to say what you feel, courage to admit you’re not always okay.
  And this isn’t just important for men - it’s important for everyone. Because when a man allows himself to feel, to communicate, to be vulnerable, he becomes a better partner, a more present father, a more genuine friend, and above all, a more complete version of himself.
  Talking about emotions shouldn’t be an exception, or a challenge - it should be normal. And the more normal it becomes, the fewer people will have to carry what they feel all alone. Because at the end of the day, we all have emotions. The only difference is who had the freedom to learn how to express them… and who’s still trying.
And you, if you’re a man… do you express your emotions?