President Obama says being a man isn't about 'eight-pound chains' or 'women around you twerkin',' it's about being a good human.
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In this conversation with Steph Curry at My Brother's Keeper Town Hall courtesy of the Obama Foundation, we see President Barack Obama speaking about masculinity and what it means to be a man. Barack Obama (US president) has long been a champion of womens rights and equality in U.S. politics. This Barack Obama speech is capturing audiences across the internet this week.
QUESTION:
From the time that boys and men of color are born, we’re given this narrow definition of what it means to be a man, and how can we begin to change the narrative that is currently forcing us to follow a path that doesn’t align with our identities, including our brothers who are part of the LGBTQ+ community?
OBAMA:
It’s something that I think all of us have to recognize, that being a man is first and foremost being a good human, and that means being responsible, being reliable, working hard, being kind, being respectful, being compassionate, and the notion that somehow defining yourself as a man is dependent on are you able to put somebody else down instead of lifting them up? Are you able to dominate, as opposed to support? That is a old view. And a view that thankfully I see a lot of young people reject,
What we want to do is create a space in which young men of color and young men generally don’t have to feel as if, for me to be respected and admired in my community, I’ve got to act a certain way.
A lot of the suffering and pain that we suffer in our communities arises out of young men who nobody said to them what it means to be a respected, and so they’re looking around, and saying, well, I guess being respect might mean, I might shoot you. Or I can make you back down. Or I can disrespect you, and there’s nothing you can do about it. And that is a self-defeating model for being a man.
So, we have to constantly lift up examples of successful men who don’t take that approach, and that’s hard to do in this society, because, you were talking about music. Let’s face it: A lot of hip-hop and rap music is built around me showing how I got more money than you, I can disrespect you, you can’t do nothing about it, I’m gonna talk about you, and punk you, and ironically that actually shows the vulnerability that you feel.
Let me say this: If you were really confident about your financial situation, you probably are not gonna be wearing an eight-pound chain around your neck. Because you know, Oh, I got bank. I don’t have to show you how much I got. I feel good.
If you are very confident about your sexuality, you don’t have to have eight women around you twerking. I mean, why are you all like, you seem stressed that you gotta be acting that way, ’cause I’ve got one woman who I’m very happy with.
Right?
[Applause]
And she’s a strong woman.
I think part of the challenge we have is because oftentimes racism historically in this society sends a message that you are less than and weak, we eel like we’ve got to compensate by exaggerating certain stereotypical ways that men are supposed to act, and that’s a trap that we fall into that we’ve got to pull out of. If you’re confident about your strength, you don’t need to show me by you putting somebody else down. Show me how strong you are that you can lift somebody else up, and treat somebody well, and be respectful, and-
[Applause]
and lead in that fashion.
Anything you want to add, sir?
STEPH CURRY:
I’ve just been mentored right there. That’s amazing.
#Obama #Masculinity #StephCurry #Men
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