Speaking openly from the heart does not make one less of a man. This is exactly what Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Kevin Love was trying to point out in his recent statement pertaining to the innate vulnerability of men — or lack thereof.
According to Love, being in touch with one’s emotions is not a sign of weakness for a man. Instead, this vulnerability actually plays a crucial role in a person’s mental health.
“Men have to allow themselves to be vulnerable and to express themselves,” Love said Thursday on campus at Tufts University, where he was a guest speaker for the New York Times’ “Get with the Times” symposium series for college students, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
Here, Love is laying into the misplaced notion that a man is expected to keep things to himself, especially when it involves one’s emotions. This has been an age-old belief fueled by machismo, and the 30-year-old believes that this no longer has a place in today’s modern world.
For his part, Love was himself a victim to this flawed concept, as it was only recently that he was able to open up about his own mental health issues. For the longest time, Love felt that as a man, he must keep his innermost feelings to himself, and that society would think less of him if he spoke out.
Thankfully, Love was strong enough to break through these barriers. By doing so, he has opened the door to so many others who were/are also suffering, but did not have the courage to open up.
Once it is all said and done, Love may or may not make it to the basketball Hall of Fame, but at the end of the day, he can be proud of the fact that he almost single-handedly brought the discussion of mental health to the forefront of the NBA.