The Boy and the Doll

Are grown men allowed to dream of the warmth of a doll? Well, it is highly likely that the answer of society's expectations and traditional gender roles is no. We know that gender stereotypes about women – the idea they should behave or look a certain way, for instance – can be damaging to them. However, a lot of people tend to overlook the fact that stereotypes and expectations can also damage men. Men are often expected to be strong, independent, persevering, and less emotional. Whilst these aren’t inherently bad things, they can make it harder for men to reach out for help and open up. Thus, men feel embarrassed or worried about the negative stigma around this type of thing and eventually rarely rely on someone or share concerns about personal worries. I, the writer, am also one of them. Throughout my entire life, all I have learned is to cultivating 'manly' characteristics: self-reliance and endurance. I have been socially trained that relying on someone or expressing sadness, including crying, can be seen as weak and shameful. As a result, even if I have depression, panic disorder and social phobia, I have struggled to and I am still struggling to rely on or open up to someone. Therefore, I hope that this short story will be a word of courage and consolation to someone who struggles with it as well. A short script based on my true story.