For the Sons of Tomorrow

By Demi Pinal

I chose to challenge toxic masculinity because, as someone in the Hispanic community, I have seen the after-effects of toxic masculinity one too many times. In my culture, we hear the term "machismo" more often as a way of being for a male. Machismo to many Latinx men means to never show any emotional expression, always look tough, and hold lots of pride in your manhood. We see mostly the older generation accept this idea and pass it down to the next era of sons. Unknowingly, this places lots of pressure on young boys to live up to the expectations of the macho men before them. It’s a repeating cycle that harms the girls and women just as much. By taking so much pride in one’s manhood or ego, sometimes it can be easy to degrade another group, not taking their feelings into account. Because of this being a cultural norm, no one can escape the routine until someone brings attention to this issue.

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I am a first-year, first-generation Chicanx student here at CSU San Marcos. I am currently majoring in Sociology with a concentration in health, wellness, and education. My intention for my piece entitled, For the Sons of Tomorrow is to awaken the emotions of those who have suppressed them, in hopes to gain acceptance within themselves. Additionally, I’d like to evoke compassion in individuals who may have never known the detrimental effects of toxic masculinity. I wish to bring together all populations in order to create a more equal society through acceptance and understanding of one another.