There’s sadly still a stigma around men crying. However, a handful of brave Aussie men came forward and admitted what makes them shed a tear or two on a recent Reddit thread.
The thread begins with the question, “What do men in Australia cry about?”, which was posted to the r/Australia community, and currently has over 500 comments.
As it turns out, it seems that the majority of Australian men cry over films and television shows; with multiple users commenting things like, “I only and exclusively cry at the movies,” and, “I get tears in weepy movies.”
Many users also listed the specific films and series that make them emotional and teary-eyed:
“A Dog’s Journey and A Dog’s Purpose always get me.”
“Lol, I cried multiple times during Lost.”
“The episode of Scrubs with Ben and Dr Cox. Henry’s last episode in MASH. Wilson’s Heart… end of season 4, House.”
“Futurama – Jurassic Bark.”
“The first 10 minutes of Up.”
However, some Australian men shared some more serious responses, with one user divulging that he cried “when [his] best mate committed suicide,” while another wrote, “I cried last night. My dog is dying.”
Some users even acknowledged the stigma around men crying and gave advice on how to break it. For example, Reddit user Only_Ad_1079 recommended that men who have trouble crying should see a therapist, as after seeing one himself, both his health and happiness are now better for it.
“My therapist helped me cry more in 4 months than I’d ever cried in my life. Or rather helped me give myself permission to let all that out and not hold it in. I’m much healthier and happier these days.”
Another wrote (in response to a guy who said he cried in the movies but not at funerals): “Don’t think you’re a psychopath mate, I used to be the same way.
Whether we like [it] or not there is that unspoken air of ‘don’t let them see me cry in public’. The older I get the more I realise it’s a totally normal healthy reaction to stress, loss and suffering.”
“Trying to hide it for the sake of keeping up social appearances only ends up hurting us the most in the long run.”
A few men also admitted that they cry because of how expensive the cost of living has become. One user simply wrote, “Petrol prices,” while another commented, “The price for a cup of coffee, used car prices, the cost of meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, knowing I would never be able to afford a house in a half-decent neighbourhood even on the far, far, far outskirts of Sydney.”
Ultimately, the thread proves that there are countless reasons why Australian men – and men in general – break down and cry. And with most comments receiving positive replies, perhaps the stigma is slowly disintegrating.
As it should, as it’s completely okay for – in fact, we should encourage – men to cry; no matter the reason.
Read Next