Free Bros Before Hos: The Guy Code Reflection Essay Sample

1. The Guy Code involves rules like “No Sissy Stuff,” “Be a Big Wheel,” “Be a Sturdy Oak,” and “Give ‘em Hell,” all revolving around masculine ideals like aggression, ambition, greed and power. Kimball’s idea that the Guy Code is uncomfortable to wear indicates his belief that these restrictive and harmful codes of behavior are stifling to men, which is an assertion I agree with. While I agree that people should be confident and ambitious, as well as strong, these rules should not be restricted (or exclusive) to men.2. Kimmel notes that boys become men through competition and aggressive behavior; essentially, other men are your enemy, and you must prove your worth by being stronger than them. This leads to emotionally distancing behavior which can make it harder to form substantive emotional relationships with others. 3. As an adult, I have seen many instances of other guys policing masculine behavior – one particular instance was one friend in a bar giving the other one grief for ordering a cosmopolitan instead of a beer, calling it a ‘sissy drink’ and wrinkling his nose. I reacted with a fair bit of discomfort, but did not feel comfortable talking about it at the time.
4. I definitely see that young men are pressured to not be gay – this usually happens on the part of fathers and authority figures, who seemingly perceive their son being gay as a failure on their part. There have been times when classmates would make fun of guys who would try out for musicals and theatre in school, perceiving them to be ‘less manly’ because they did theatre, an activity stereotyped as feminine and occupied by homosexuals.