The article above was taken from the New York Times in 1005. It questions whether masculinity is to blame for various school shootings including that of the Minnesota teenager Jeff Weise. The article claims that there have been 29 shootings since 1982 all by boys who have been teased and bullied for not being masculine enough and not following the expected stereotypes that men should be strong, sports orientated etc. "Was the shooter teased and harassed as unworthy, incomplete or failing as a real man. It is claimed that boys need to be freed from their "emotional straight jackets".
The article raises many interesting points. There is no doubt a large amount of pressure on teenage boys to fit and follow an unofficial masculine code. Anything else could be rejected as not normal and wrong. Many teenagers have been bullied for not following these trends and in some cases there have been disastrous consequences including the murder of Jeff Weise in 2005.
1005?
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