AS IT IS Drop New Song ‘The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry)’

Brighton-based band As It Is have released the second single from their new album ‘The Great Depression’.

‘The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry) is the newest release from rock band As It Is. The song and accompanying music video go against masculinity and what is it to be a stereotypical man.

 

“This song and video tackle toxic masculinity, and the long overdue rebel to speak out against outdated ideals that to this day continue to threaten individuality”

– As It Is speaking about their new release

The song itself tells us that it is okay to show feeling, no matter what gender. However, there are many people who are ashamed to show emotion and bottle it up until it becomes too much to deal with. They then hide away somewhere they think is safe, and let it all out there in silence. ‘The Stigma’ shows that it is okay to have bad days and to feel down.

There is a scene near the end of the music video (at about 3:00 minutes) where the band and other men protest against the masculine military leader who is teaching them to ‘Man Up’. This is a powerful scene because it shows that we should stand up to those who try to get us to conform to gender by only letting us be stereotypically male or female.

Another scene I found to be particulary effective was when guitarist Ben Biss was forced head-first into a bucket of water to wipe off the makeup he was wearing. The subtitle that went with this was “Boys don’t wear makeup.” This again shows that to some people, boys wearing makeup and other non-stereotypical actions, are socially unacceptable. These expectations need to be changed, and people should be able to express who they want to be, no matter what gender.

 

There was a particular lyric that stood out to me during the song, and that was ” ’cause boys don’t cry”. This phrase is repeated in every chorus, and it suggests a constant stream of thought. You know when you will yourself to not be upset? I think this phrase suggests hiding your feelings, and not letting yourself feel anything. It is also something I have heard since a young age, from people of all different ages around me, and it again shows that we have locked boys in this bubble of ‘you have to be strong’. By putting this lyric in the song, it is kind of like a joke to society, as the song is about rebelling against social norms.

Overall, As It Is have created a meaningful song that can relate to many people, and that makes it symbolic. The lyrics are something to relate to, and they can inspire an audience. I am very excited to see what else As It Is bring to the table, and I am even more excited for the album release on August 10th.

 

Listen and watch ‘The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry) here:

The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry) – As It Is