The Consequences Of Guy Codes

In today`s Society, men and women are raised from young ages to act in certain ways that are established through the guy code. According to Kimmel in ``Bros Before Hoes`` ,''boys were taught to deny their emotional needs and disguise their feelings''(pg.470). The boy code does not give the opportunity for boys to express their wide range of emotions instead prohibits them for doing so. Boys are reinforced with subliminal messages of ''acting manly'' from boyhood that turns into sullen indifference. Men turn to anger and violence in frustration situations because they believe that these are the only acceptable emotional factors. In the development process from boyhood to manhood, women are also affected by the consequences of the guy code.

As Morgan states,'' Men's exploitation of our images and sexuality in hip hop is, in many ways, done with the permission and cooperation of our sisters'' (pg.154). Men, specifically in African American communities, express their masculine emotions and pain in song lyrics that exploit the image of women. Even though women don't deny their victimization in hip hop, it raises issues on how this oppression should be ended. Rap music has created a wall of sexism and has exploited the images of women that can also be examined in black communities. The idea of feminism has given the permission or the opportunity to men to exploit women in order to express their own masculinity. The suppression of a man's emotions has lead them to use vulgar song lyrics because they feel that it is the only outlet to their own pain that they have suffered. Not only is hip hop instrumental in exposing a man's pain, but it's a vital tool in bringing healing that black women have to do. The mentality of women is to remain ''feminine'' or be submissive and sexualize themselves that the guy code creates in the minds of men.