Why is it unacceptable for men to show emotion?

[Bao3niang]

I will begin by admitting that I am a somewhat emotional guy that sometimes sobs when watching a movie or something on TV, and every once in a while when things get tough I do shed some tears. I've also shed a few tears over games like FFX, Kingdom Hearts, and the ending of Ace Combat 6. When I cry it is not loud.

What amazes me is the fact that even today, the majority of people still think that a male cannot show emotion by crying in any circumstance. A Chinese saying goes "a man can shed blood but cannot shed a tear." The main reason many use to justify the taboo of men crying tears is that in the early days when we were still apes (according to what they believe) men had to be strong hunters and gatherers that needed to stay strong and calm at all times. Women's brains were wired into thinking that a man displaying sensitivity was considered a sign of weakness, which has obviously continued onto today.

As a Christian, I know for better that we were created to show emotions and even God Himself wept when He saw the lost state of the people in His holy city Jerusalem. If a basic human display of emotion is suppressed just because of one's gender, I think it is a wicked act of contempt for the beauty of God's creation.

I don't like a crybaby that gets upset over every little thing whether that person is male or female. However, none of us can just endure and get over everything as it never happened. My personal belief is that not only should it be acceptable for a man to cry sometimes, a strong guy has THE COURAGE to show his true self in front of his partner. If my woman cannot accept the emotional side of me, then our relationship would pretty much be doomed because that would be a sign of her stupidity and maybe her lack of sympathy as well.

Having said this, to make things equal, I would not like a woman that bawls like a baby over everything / emotionally unstable. If she is emotionally immature yet tries to suppress me from showing emotion then the result is even more obvious.


So my questions to you guys here are:

1. Do you think it is acceptable for a man to cry? If so, what do you think the limit should be?

2. Why do you believe so many people / cultures try to suppress the emotions of the male gender?

3. Would you take a woman that cried a lot?