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Joshua Bassett is speaking out on toxic masculinity and vulnerability.
The “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” assured fans that “crying is cool” in a candid Instagram post shared on Monday, May 10.
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“I, like most men I know, was taught to NOT cry growing up. I was forced to suppress my ‘sensitive side’,” wrote Bassett, 20, alongside a video of himself singing “Boys Don’t Cry”.
“But here’s the thing: suppressing your emotions as a child will crush your spirit and bury your heart alive,” he continued.
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“I wholeheartedly believe this is the root of the majority of toxic masculinity and the empathetic epidemic in most males today.”
Bassett went on to recall how he was taught to suppress his emotions while growing up.
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Finishing the post with a call to action, he added, “Instead of allowing your deep sadness to turn into bitterness, anger and violence: maybe grab some Kleenex and cry it out. Let your guard down. Be bold enough to be vulnerable. You’re safe to do so now.”
He concluded, “You, your mother, sister, daughters and future daughters depend on it. Numb is no way to live. We must end the cycle. We absolutely must. #CryingIsCool.”