I Don't Want to Cry Tonight I punched a child in the stomach. He gasped, his face turned red and his eyes filled with tears. Sure, we were in Karate class and sparring. And, sure, I was 19 and he was probably 10. I didn't mean to hurt him; I was actually "going light". But I hurt him. The fact is, he knew it and didn't care. He could have gone through the night without a single tear. But when the Shihan came to try to make him feel better, the boy's face grew redder and his lip trembled as that single tear ran down his cheek. The boy was fine until he was consoled. When I was younger, I wasn't very popular. I was known as a bookworm who was often stunned in class, while being admired by teachers for my intelligence. I was short, wore glasses, didn't talk much and only had two friends in my class. I was predictably picked on by the older kids. I got hurt several times. However, I hid it from my teachers and parents. I didn't want to cry. And I was fine without crying; I simply accepted the beating and continued on, trying to avoid or get even with the bullies. Girls are taught from an early age that they can cry. The sight of a girl with tears rolling down her cheeks inspires compassion, while a boy's tears mostly cause embarrassment. Girls are also grounded in the fact that women are “there for each other” and can therefore support each other emotionally. Women often talk about how refreshing a “good cry” is, as if it were a long bath or a cigarette. But guys, don't cry. Pop psychology tells us that this happens because men see crying as a bad thing. Because we can't accept our feelings and are afraid to express them. So this kid was too scared to cry until the instructor let him know it was okay? What nonsense. A Karate instructor, like a coach, wants to stop kids from crying whenever possible. It is not right that the fact that a man does not want to be forced to cry makes others think that he is "all bottled up inside”..