Toxic masculinity is a real problem in society today, with many men caught in a cycle of violence and emotional repression as a result. Fortunately, some men like the one in this story have found a way to reject this harmful norm and embrace their feelings: This dad cries in front of his son at least five times a day.
Amazing! What an awesome example he’s setting for his boy!
A classic tenet of toxic masculinity is the myth that “real men don’t cry,” but in a powerful rejection of the norms around how a man should act, 45-year-old Dan Yucca of Bloomington, IN spends countless hours sobbing in front of his son Jacob every single day. It doesn’t matter if they’re at home, in the middle of the department store, or even at one of Jacob’s baseball games—Dan isn’t afraid to say “take that, patriarchy” and cower down in the fetal position while banging his fists on the floor and chanting “I just don’t know how much more I can take.”
YES!!! THIS is what masculinity looks like!
Some kids go their whole lives without their dad opening up about how they feel inside, but for lucky Jacob, every family dinner features an hour-long monologue about how Dan isn’t sure whether a loser like him even deserves to have a happy life given all the pathetic failures he’s gone through on the personal, professional, and familial levels. It’s safe to say that Jacob is pretty much the luckiest kid ever—he’s never once overheard his dad yelling at his mom, and instead regularly hears his dad screaming at his own reflection in the mirror, openly and honestly berating himself for his subpar looks and weak personality.
Now this is a man who isn’t afraid to embrace his vulnerable side!!
This is so heartwarming. It must be so awesome to grow up with this example of what masculinity could look like. If all dads were this unafraid to show how they really feel, the world would definitely be a better place.
