Tears Like Mine - Paper Magazine

Tears Like Mine is a photo series inspired by my former incapacity to be vulnerable and emotionally expressive. I identified this in the wake of a series of family illnesses. Tears began to pour from my eyes uncontrollably. I was confused and unable to navigate my feelings. These tears coupled with a sinking weight in my throat and stomach left me in a daze. Why was I so desperate to hide my tears? In America, we teach boys at a very young age that tears are a sign of weakness. We teach boys to hide and suppress any emotion that might be perceived as something other than "masculine." We often forget to recognize that masculinity is a construct — one that is led by example. When men start to show themselves in a more vulnerable light, it opens the door for other men to follow suit. Tears Like Mine aims at changing this narrative to normalize male sensitivity.