Why has it become a rite of passage for men to cry, but still not ok for a woman? Why can’t it just be seen as a release of emotions?
Just about four weeks ago the Yankees were eliminated from the first round of the postseason for the third consecutive year. As a result, the end of an era for team manager Joe Torre, thanks to George Steinbrenner.
As an avid Yankee Fan, I of course was very saddened by the news, considering that Torre is one of the finest managers in baseball. Many spoke out about the loss but what completely surprised me was the fact that even our rivals, Red Sox manager Terry Francona voiced his support for Torre. However one person who took Torre’s departure particularly hard, in the public limelight, was Yankees announcer Suzyn Waldman. In the post game show after the announcement, Waldman broke down on the air. As you may have expected, her professionalism and impartiality were called into question, and the criticism was deep. Her tearful report quickly became an Internet hit, and she was mocked everywhere, especially on radio.
Just to name a few big-name athletes and announcers who have teared up for all to see: Brett Favre, Keyshawn Johnson, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods. What do all of these names have in common? They’re all men!
So how come when a man tears up it’s admirable but not when a woman does? Men who cry are considered ‘sensitive.’ Women who cry are considered ‘weak’ with a lack of control. Why is there such a double standard? If we have come such along way in the fight of equality among the sex’s why were Waldman’s tears the talk of the town?