masculinities and men's health: moving toward post-superman era prevention

In Don Sabo's article, mentioned in the title of this blog post, he raises the issue of suicide. He states that for every one female to commit suicide in the Unite States, there are four men who complete the act. (Sabo 223). This is generally because men employ more violent and dangerous means of attempting suicide, and thus, their attempts are more successful. Generally speaking, women are more inclined to attempt suicide by taking pills, where the chances are surviving are higher than they are for men who typically attempt suicide by guns or hanging. The ways in which males and females attempt suicide are consistent with the demands the society has. Men are expected to show their masculinity be engaging in more violent and risky behaviors. Females, on the contrary, are traditionally expected to be more docile and peaceful in their nature. While studies show that men attempt suicide less than women, they also show that men are more successful when they do make these attempts (Sabo 224). It is scary to think that demands of society are so powerful, they contribute to some peoples' final moments on earth. If men were not expected to be so risky and engage in such dangerous behaviors, perhaps the mortality rate for suicide attempts among men would be closer to the success rate for women.

https://bblearn.missouri.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-775810-dt-content-rid-13882328_1/courses/sociology_3320_av/Sabo%20-%20Masculinities%20and%20Men%27s%20Health%20-%20Moving%20Toward%20Post-Supe.pdf