BlogHOW FAMILY INFLUENCES THE IDEA OF MASCULINITY IN ADOLESCENTS
HOW FAMILY INFLUENCES THE IDEA OF MASCULINITY IN ADOLESCENTS
2025-06-24
The true measure of a man is not what he achieves, but how he treats others."
— Anonymous
The debate regarding what defines a person as being either masculine or feminine has been going on for centuries. Every cultural era seems to have a different say in what a man ought to be. But what can be found common in every society, irrespective of the geography or history, is the impact that this debate has had on adolescents and young men in particular. It has been observed time and again that an overarching definition to include any and all dimensions of masculinity simply doesn't exist. Many factors fuel the confusion around masculinity, including social media, peers, and family. As a result, young males often struggle with their gender identity, their view of masculinity, and the expectations placed on them about what it means to be a "real man" in today’s world. That’s why it’s so important for young people to understand what masculinity truly means. This essay will explore how family influences an adolescent’s view of masculinity through imposed roles, expectations and the pressure of emancipation.
An adolescents' perception of masculinity and what it entails are highly shaped by the expectations and decisions made by his/her family. From a very young age, children are exposed to gender stereotypes through the expectations that are imposed upon them by their parents. Boys are taught to suppress emotions and be tough, while girls are typically encouraged to be sensitive and expressive. Boys are discouraged from being too emotional, which is displayed in the family, either directly or indirectly, as a feminine trait. “Men are taught to suppress their emotions from an early age, as they are taught that expressing vulnerability is a sign of weakness” (Kulsum and Sinha). Due to these teachings, boys often develop a skewed perception about their role as a man in this highly expecting and confusing society. As a result, adolescents tend to associate tendencies such as not showing weakness in front of others, being physically strong, and asserting dominance and aggressiveness with masculinity. When this kind of stereotypical information is added during adolescence of a boy, it can be carried into adulthood, affecting how he handles his relationships, fatherhood, work, and mental health.
Another significant factor that affects an adolescent's concept of masculinity is communication—particularly communication between the child and his family. Healthy communication acts as a bridge between individual members and their family. Open and honest communication allows individual family members and an adolescent to express their thoughts and feelings about the true idea of masculinity. This emotional connection strengthens bonds and creates a supportive environment. However, in a family where emotional expression is discouraged, boys may grow up learning that is a bad thing. Hearing phrases like “Be a man” or “Boys don't cry” will reinforce it further and can cause irreversible damage to mental and psychological health. On the other hand, no communication at all is also equally harmful, which causes children to draw their own conclusions, influenced by popular media and changing social norms, which is more often than not, never the right way.
A child that is under the pressure of being emancipated by family and society will also understand masculinity as something that it is absolutely not. It is an obvious fact that unemployed men are emancipated and not considered to be”actual” men since they are unable to provide for their family. Boys will pick this up and start believing that unless they provide for their family, they wouldn't be considered manly. They believe that if they are not dominant, financially successful and providing, society would strip away their identity as a man. Such a line of thinking is extremely harmful to growing children and later, grown adults. “Not having a job meant that you had too much spare time which was perceived as boring and also made them economically dependent on their parents. The situation threatened their self-identity as ‘a real man” (Hammarström et al.). Identifying manliness with having a job is something our families tend to teach us from a very young age.
In a nutshell, how an adolescent perceives masculinity is deeply influenced by family expectations, communication, and societal pressures. Misguided definitions—like connecting masculinity with emotional toughness or financial provision—can harm young boys’ development and well-being. Challenging stereotypes through open dialogue and guidance can help boys grow into healthy men, in more ways than one.
References
Kulsum, Zaiba, and Anjana Sinha. “Gender Stereotypes, Societal Pressure and Emotional Expression among Men.” International Journal of Indian Psychology, vol. 11, no. 2, 2023, pp. 1–12. www.ijip.in/articles/gender-stereotypes-societal-pressure-and-emotional-expression-among-men/. Accessed 22 June 2025.
The debate regarding what defines a person as being either masculine or feminine has been going on for centuries. Every cultural era seems to have a different say in what a man ought to be. But what can be found common in every society, irrespective of the geography or history, is the impact that this debate has had on adolescents and young men in particular. It has been observed time and again that an overarching definition to include any and all dimensions of masculinity simply doesn't exist. Many factors fuel the confusion around masculinity, including social media, peers, and family. As a result, young males often struggle with their gender identity, their view of masculinity, and the expectations placed on them about what it means to be a "real man" in today’s world. That’s why it’s so important for young people to understand what masculinity truly means. This essay will explore how family influences an adolescent’s view of masculinity through imposed roles, expectations and the pressure of emancipation.
An adolescents' perception of masculinity and what it entails are highly shaped by the expectations and decisions made by his/her family. From a very young age, children are exposed to gender stereotypes through the expectations that are imposed upon them by their parents. Boys are taught to suppress emotions and be tough, while girls are typically encouraged to be sensitive and expressive. Boys are discouraged from being too emotional, which is displayed in the family, either directly or indirectly, as a feminine trait. “Men are taught to suppress their emotions from an early age, as they are taught that expressing vulnerability is a sign of weakness” (Kulsum and Sinha). Due to these teachings, boys often develop a skewed perception about their role as a man in this highly expecting and confusing society. As a result, adolescents tend to associate tendencies such as not showing weakness in front of others, being physically strong, and asserting dominance and aggressiveness with masculinity. When this kind of stereotypical information is added during adolescence of a boy, it can be carried into adulthood, affecting how he handles his relationships, fatherhood, work, and mental health.
Another significant factor that affects an adolescent's concept of masculinity is communication—particularly communication between the child and his family. Healthy communication acts as a bridge between individual members and their family. Open and honest communication allows individual family members and an adolescent to express their thoughts and feelings about the true idea of masculinity. This emotional connection strengthens bonds and creates a supportive environment. However, in a family where emotional expression is discouraged, boys may grow up learning that is a bad thing. Hearing phrases like “Be a man” or “Boys don't cry” will reinforce it further and can cause irreversible damage to mental and psychological health. On the other hand, no communication at all is also equally harmful, which causes children to draw their own conclusions, influenced by popular media and changing social norms, which is more often than not, never the right way.
A child that is under the pressure of being emancipated by family and society will also understand masculinity as something that it is absolutely not. It is an obvious fact that unemployed men are emancipated and not considered to be”actual” men since they are unable to provide for their family. Boys will pick this up and start believing that unless they provide for their family, they wouldn't be considered manly. They believe that if they are not dominant, financially successful and providing, society would strip away their identity as a man. Such a line of thinking is extremely harmful to growing children and later, grown adults. “Not having a job meant that you had too much spare time which was perceived as boring and also made them economically dependent on their parents. The situation threatened their self-identity as ‘a real man” (Hammarström et al.). Identifying manliness with having a job is something our families tend to teach us from a very young age.
In a nutshell, how an adolescent perceives masculinity is deeply influenced by family expectations, communication, and societal pressures. Misguided definitions—like connecting masculinity with emotional toughness or financial provision—can harm young boys’ development and well-being. Challenging stereotypes through open dialogue and guidance can help boys grow into healthy men, in more ways than one.
References
Kulsum, Zaiba, and Anjana Sinha. “Gender Stereotypes, Societal Pressure and Emotional Expression among Men.” International Journal of Indian Psychology, vol. 11, no. 2, 2023, pp. 1–12. www.ijip.in/articles/gender-stereotypes-societal-pressure-and-emotional-expression-among-men/. Accessed 22 June 2025.
Hammarström, Anne, et al. “Health and Masculinities Shaped by Agency within Structures among Young Unemployed Men in a Northern Swedish Context.” PLOS ONE, vol. 10, no. 5, 2015, e0124785, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0124785.
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