Latest news with #TheProblemwithMen:InsightsonOvercomingaTraumaticChildhood
USA Today
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Travis Kelce, those shirtless GQ photos and how masculinity is changing
Travis Kelce has been everywhere this week. On Aug 12, he was shirtless on the cover of GQ. In the photoshoot, Kelce presents a stereotypical (and exaggerated) embodiment of masculinity — he is dressed in full fur, construction vests and wrangles alligators. He's unflinching while wrapped in a snake. But in the interview, he also embraces vulnerability, grapples with self-doubt and talks about it openly – celebrating his superstar girlfriend, Taylor Swift, in the process. The following day, Swift made her highly anticipated debut as a guest on Kelce's "New Heights" podcast, during which she announced her 12th studio album, 'The Life of a Showgirl.' Kelce said she's "the best songwriter in the world." Swift countered with "says my boyfriend,' but isn't that exactly how boyfriends should talk about their partners? His pride in talking about Swift along with his openness in his GQ interview sets a critical example for young men today. Mental health experts say it's crucial for boys and young men to understand the importance of showing emotion, which can contribute to building long-lasting relationships and overall mental wellness. 'It's breaking the masculine code, stepping out of the man box, and saying, 'Yeah, I'm vulnerable,'" said Ronald Levant, a professor emeritus of psychology at The University of Akron and co-author of 'The Problem with Men: Insights on Overcoming a Traumatic Childhood from a World-Renowned Psychologist." 'Black cat boyfriends' and a new dawn for emotional men We're living through the rise of the "black cat boyfriend" — an archetype of elusive, emotionally complex love interests in shows like "Too Much" (Felix), "The Summer I Turned Pretty" (Conrad) and "Ginny and Georgia" (Marcus). And while it seems like viewers are rooting for vulnerable men now more than ever, we've always had a soft spot for the complicated character with a good heart. Just look at Jess from 'Gilmore Girls" or Lucas from 'One Tree Hill." Celebrities are also having a moment when it comes to vulnerability. In January, a viral video of Bad Bunny crying after his song "DTMF" blew up on TikTok opened up a conversation around men and emotion. 'Bad Bunny signals to young men that it's not only acceptable, but also healthy to confront and express their feelings, which is something that men and young boys haven't been taught to do,' Sheldon Jacobs, a licensed therapist who serves on the National Alliance on Mental Illness Board of Directors, previously told USA TODAY. 'It's really pushing and challenging those cultural norms.' In Kelce's GQ interview, he said it is difficult to "block out" the increased media scrutiny. He admits that despite his inability to control what people say about him, it does affect him. "If someone says something that they don't like about you, you have to be able to understand how you are portraying yourself for them to say that," he says. "I'm a guy who doesn't want anyone to say anything negative about me. Some people don't give a (expletive). I'm someone who does care.' He wants to be someone young people can look up to, he told GQ: "I do want people to look at me like I'm doing good in the world, I'm influencing and using my platform for the better, being a role model, being somebody that has done it the right way." What's a 'black cat boyfriend' and why is everyone obsessed with them? Travis Kelce is Swift's biggest hypeman When Swift finally posted Kelce on her Instagram feed, Swifties celebrated. They've praised Kelce for "loving her out loud" — his joy over her accomplishments, and her happiness to have him by her side through them shines. "When we feel confident in our partner, it can feel great to show them off," Kimberly Vered Shashoua, a licensed clinical social worker, previously told USA TODAY. On "New Heights," Swift shared that she couldn't have been happier to be near Travis the moment she got her masters back. She ran into the next room sobbing to break the news, and even he shed a tear. "I started crying too, you know I'm a crier," he said. "You were weeping," Swift quipped. In the words of Swift herself: Kelce and Swift "show up for each other." "You want to keep things private, but at the same time... I'm not here to hide anything," Kelce said in June 2024. "That's my girl, that's my lady, I'm proud of that." Contributing: Rachel Hale, David Oliver
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
A football player cried on air, sparking masculinity conversation
"Yeah, that part's hard, I'm sorry," Wilson said before breaking down in tears and placing his head on the table. Wilson is from Frankston South in Victoria, Australia - making his family 15 hours ahead of his location in Lincoln, Nebraska. "I love them a lot. I got two little brothers, and my mom and dad. That's the tough part about being here. I love them a lot and I miss them." The heartwarming moment opened up a conversation around masculinity and emotion online. Mental health experts say it's crucial for young boys and men to understand the importance of showing emotion, which can contribute to building long-lasting relationships and overall mental wellness. Popular figures like athletes and celebrities help fill the space of role models at an age when boys are highly impressionable, according to Sheldon Jacobs, a licensed therapist who serves on the National Alliance on Mental Illness Board of Directors. "Any display of emotion, especially for men, it challenges the traditional stereotypes of masculinity, which often discourages men from, unfortunately, opening up and expressing their feelings," Sheldon says. Did you see? Men are going to brutal boot camps to reclaim their masculinity. How did we get here? The idea that 'boys don't cry' is outdated Wilson's moment hit sports accounts on X and Instagram, where viewers flooded the comment sections with support. "Today" co-host Jenna Bush Hager featured it on Aug. 13 as her "Morning Boost" segment, where she shared that she plans to show the clip to her 6-year-old son. Wilson, who never played an organized game of football, impressed the Huskers coach with his rugby background and strong kicks. He'll play his first game for Nebraska on Aug. 28 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. He shared during the press conference that his family is visiting Lincoln in September to watch him play his first home games of the season. Wilson's openness is part of a wider trend of male sports figures and celebrities opening up about emotion in recent years, according to Ronald Levant, a professor emeritus of psychology at The University of Akron and co-author of "The Problem with Men: Insights on Overcoming a Traumatic Childhood from a World-Renowned Psychologist." Last March, an emotional Jason Kelce made waves with his announcement that he was retiring following 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. In videos from the news conference, Kelce let his emotion show while his brother Travis Kelce, who stars in GQ Magazine's September issue, also wiped away tears. In April, Justin Bieber posted a series of photos on Instagram from a performance that included selfies with tears streaming down his face. And Baddy Bunny went viral after posting a teary-eyed video on TikTok over his song "DTMF" in appreciation of fans' response to his album. "It does give young men permission to say, 'It's OK not be OK. It's OK to struggle, you know, because I'm not alone in this,'" Jacobs says. In case you missed it: Jason Kelce's retirement tears hold an important lesson for men: It's OK to cry Gender norms around emotion are changing - and experts say that's a good thing. Levant said younger men are reacting against the strictures of traditional masculinity, the most notable of which is crying. "That's kind of the No. 1 rule. If you're a boy, you get punished for crying; you're told, 'Boys don't cry,'" Levant says. Still, young men are growing up during a male loneliness epidemic. In a 2021 survey by the Survey Center on American Life, only 1 in 5 men said they received emotional support from a friend within the past week, compared with 4 in 10 of women. And half as many men as women told a friend they loved them within the past week. Experts say being more open about emotion can contribute to solutions. "It's really, really impactful for young men," Jacobs says. "Historically, cultural norms have discouraged men... to show vulnerability, which perpetuates that stigma around mental health."Rachel Hale's role covering Youth Mental Health at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Reach her at rhale@ and @rachelleighhale on X.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
This homesick football player cried on air. It sparked a conversation about masculinity.
A post shared by Hail Varsity (@hailvarsity) A University of Nebraska freshman punter's first media appearance quickly went viral – not for what he said about football, but for an emotional moment about his life off the field. When asked about being away from home during the Aug. 12 press conference, 19-year-old Archie Wilson shared a candid response about how being far from his family has impacted him. "Yeah, that part's hard, I'm sorry," Wilson said before breaking down in tears and placing his head on the table. Wilson is from Frankston South in Victoria, Australia – making his family 15 hours ahead of his location in Lincoln, Nebraska. "I love them a lot. I got two little brothers, and my mom and dad. That's the tough part about being here. I love them a lot and I miss them." The heartwarming moment opened up a conversation around masculinity and emotion online. Mental health experts say it's crucial for young boys and men to understand the importance of showing emotion, which can contribute to building long-lasting relationships and overall mental wellness. Popular figures like athletes and celebrities help fill the space of role models at an age when boys are highly impressionable, according to Sheldon Jacobs, a licensed therapist who serves on the National Alliance on Mental Illness Board of Directors. "Any display of emotion, especially for men, it challenges the traditional stereotypes of masculinity, which often discourages men from, unfortunately, opening up and expressing their feelings," Sheldon says. Did you see? Men are going to brutal boot camps to reclaim their masculinity. How did we get here? The idea that 'boys don't cry' is outdated Wilson's moment hit sports accounts on X and Instagram, where viewers flooded the comment sections with support. "Today" co-host Jenna Bush Hager featured it on Aug. 13 as her "Morning Boost" segment, where she shared that she plans to show the clip to her 6-year-old son. Wilson, who never played an organized game of football, impressed the Huskers coach with his rugby background and strong kicks. He'll play his first game for Nebraska on Aug. 28 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. He shared during the press conference that his family is visiting Lincoln in September to watch him play his first home games of the season. Wilson's openness is part of a wider trend of male sports figures and celebrities opening up about emotion in recent years, according to Ronald Levant, a professor emeritus of psychology at The University of Akron and co-author of "The Problem with Men: Insights on Overcoming a Traumatic Childhood from a World-Renowned Psychologist." Last March, an emotional Jason Kelce made waves with his announcement that he was retiring following 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. In videos from the news conference, Kelce let his emotion show while his brother Travis Kelce, who stars in GQ Magazine's September issue, also wiped away tears. In April, Justin Bieber posted a series of photos on Instagram from a performance that included selfies with tears streaming down his face. And Baddy Bunny went viral after posting a teary-eyed video on TikTok over his song "DTMF" in appreciation of fans' response to his album. "It does give young men permission to say, 'It's OK not be OK. It's OK to struggle, you know, because I'm not alone in this,'" Jacobs says. In case you missed it: Jason Kelce's retirement tears hold an important lesson for men: It's OK to cry Gender norms around emotion are changing – and experts say that's a good thing. Levant said younger men are reacting against the strictures of traditional masculinity, the most notable of which is crying. "That's kind of the No. 1 rule. If you're a boy, you get punished for crying; you're told, 'Boys don't cry,'" Levant says. Still, young men are growing up during a male loneliness epidemic. In a 2021 survey by the Survey Center on American Life, only 1 in 5 men said they received emotional support from a friend within the past week, compared with 4 in 10 of women. And half as many men as women told a friend they loved them within the past week. Experts say being more open about emotion can contribute to solutions. "It's really, really impactful for young men," Jacobs says. "Historically, cultural norms have discouraged men… to show vulnerability, which perpetuates that stigma around mental health."Rachel Hale's role covering Youth Mental Health at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Reach her at rhale@ and @rachelleighhale on X.
