Too Cool to Cry

Muchison, Jaylon

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/114199 Copy

Description

Title

Too Cool to Cry

Author(s)

Muchison, Jaylon

Contributor(s)

Nance, Kemal

Issue Date

2022

Keyword(s)

• Fine and Applied Arts
• Acting

Abstract

Captured below is the grief of a young Black man turning away to cry in solitude. Watching him attempt to conceal his tears from embarrassment, a mural of a black family responds to this public vulnerability with concern and confusion. My study deals with young Black men and spaces where they feel safe or threatened to cry in. There are public and private spheres of vulnerability, with private locations as the most preferred. Social media and social cycles teach young Black men that expression of emotions in a vulnerable and public manner, such as crying, leads to emasculation, embarrassment, and scrutiny. This prompts the reaction that “crying is weak.” Due to socioeconomic status, affiliation, or household role, weakness is a trait many Black men cannot afford. Many turn to coping with “coolness,” instead: escapism with drugs and alcohol, expression through anger or violence, or isolation. This theory from Richard Majors and Janet Mancini Billson discusses how Black men defend themselves against the inequities of our society. “Coolness” suppresses vulnerability and has direct links to overrepresentation of Black men in reported cases of suicide (11%), depression and anxiety (24.6%), and homicide (55.5%) despite only being 6% of the U.S. population.

Type of Resource

• Text
• Image

Language

eng

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/114199

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2022 Jaylon Muchison

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