Understanding the Man Box

Students and guests gather for the event

I was fortunate enough to have been able to attend one of the last panels that have been a part on an ongoing campaign focusing on Sexual Assault Activism Month. The event I attended was called Well Meaning Men Breaking Out "The Man Box." This event was possible through the efforts of Student Health and Wellness, the East Texas Crisis Center, and the Step Up Against Violence group.

How To Help Others

As I have brought up in a few of the blogs, I am not exactly the ‘normal person’ where it comes to the ‘traditional family background issues.’ I was raised by my mother and by my grandmother. I lived in a rather well-off portion of Houston and other times, when I stayed with my father, I lived in areas other people might defined as ‘urban ghettos.’ I was never friends with many boys and the females I was friends with did not particularly take to me since I was not masculine. I grew up being viewed as homosexual because my voice did not crack until I was older than most kids and, as the female friends I had did not hang out with me besides where school was involved, I was not considered normal. I have always fit into self-made friend groups; I am not, nor have I ever considered myself, popular or influential among my peers. Because of the notion that I was thought of a homosexual as a kid I was lobbed with rocks and spit on, sometimes in the same day. It was not rampant but it did happen. I have lived then in both the rich and poor upbringing circles as well as the prejudiced and the privileged social groups.