OP-ED: Crying Is the Bravest Thing a Man Can Do, Unless It's Because You Dropped Your McNuggets

Everybody cries. But for countless men, the pressure to be strong and stoic makes them ashamed to shed tears. It’s 2017, so let’s make it perfectly clear: men should cry.

But, dude, all you did was drop your McNuggets. Chill out.

Crying should not be stigmatized. It should be celebrated. It shows vulnerability, a sign of true strength. You need to calm down, though. You’re making a scene.

Our culture of toxic masculinity perpetuates the trope of unemotional men. It is ok to have emotions and display them honestly. I’m referring to funerals and breakups, that kind of thing. You should handle the loss of these McNuggets more maturely.

I know it was a 20 piece. I hear you, and I empathize with you, but you need to stop sobbing. This is crazy.

Crying is a healthy way to process our pain. It helps us clear our heads and return to normal after trauma. Would you really say you dropping the nugget box meets that standard? You had already eaten eight of them when you dropped it.

I am proud of you for standing up to the stigma and normalizing male tears. It’s a brave step towards destroying harmful gender stereotypes. But you really need to stop crying about those McNuggets. I’ll make you mac and cheese or something at home.