We live in a society that teaches men that they must be very masculine, successful, powerful, inexpressive, and aggressive. They must live in this box of masculinity and can’t step out of it. If they do fall out of the norm then they are called names like sissy, queer, wuss, and others, as a way to feel degraded for not living up to the male standard. These men are taught from a young age to construct a highly masculine identity. This is especially seen in sports like football, hockey, wrestling, rugby, boxing, and the MMA. These sports would be seen as the most masculine because they are known as contact sports that may include violence and aggression between each other. Let’s start with reasons why men get involved with sports. The first reason a guy will get involved with sports is because it is considered the natural thing to do. It is seen as a right of passage for young boys to join a sport. The second reason is pressure and expectation from their fathers, or other men in their lives, to join a sport. This allows them to have a bond and can be an emotional safe zone for them. They are allowed to shed tears at a game, hug their other team members, and other …show more content…
A user may experience depression or anxiety. There is a sense of impaired judgement and thinking they are invincible. There can be manic-like emotional ups and downs. They may experience a loss of touch with reality. Their sleep schedule could be disturbed and decreased. Other symptoms would be paranoia, delusions, and impulsiveness. There are many consequences to using steroids, but many athletes will use them anyways to try to fit the masculine identity that is put forth by our culture within sports. Altogether, it could be said that the masculine identity that a man must put up for sports, and in general, could be harmful and confining for the men who personify it and others who surround