Being a Man about it: The Marginalization of Men in Grief

Abstract

American men tend to be marginalized in grief and loss. The commonly held view of effective grieving does a disservice to those mourners who engage in a more closed style of grieving. Conventional-style grievers are more willing to express their emotions related to loss and are therefore more apt to be recognized and supported by others. The masculine grief response, a style popularly portrayed by U.S. American males and endorsed as gender appropriate, leads to the marginalizing of such survivors. Strategies for supporting masculine-style grieving need to acknowledge the legitimacy and use the strengths of this mode of responding to loss.