The Man Box and Gender Roles

When do the roles of man and woman (and to what extent) become gender stereotypes?

At TEDTalks, Tony Porter starts off by listing a few traditional characteristics that build the male behavior and "the man" itself. This is a combination that he labels as the collective socialization of men or "The Man Box", in which he includes some of these:

- Though/Strong/No Pain

- Courageous/No Fear

- Dominating/In Charge/Lead

- Superior

- No Emotions

This "Man Box" alone does not necessarily generate external or common harm (towards woman),  it becomes an issue because of the opposing very negative connotations that they imply. Accordingly, females are:

- Weak

- Scared/Fearful

- Less Value, Property, and Objects (particularly Sexual Objects)/Not In Charge/Follow

- Inferior

- Emotional

The concept of being a man is surprisingly very subjective and has developed over time and human history. Porter's speech is entitle "A call to men" because he argues that it is men who have created the Man Box through different generations due to a full conscious need to stay inside the Box, victimizing women in the process. The so called "Man Box" appears empty above as we can argue there is no such thing as predetermined gender roles/stereotypes that Man (and Woman) are innately born with.