Should men be able to cry and have a softer side? Or do they have to be manly and hardcore and never have a soft side? Well PTSA speaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s and some people in society believe so.

How do you think men should be portrayed in society? Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s notorious documentary “The Mask We Live In,” played in the Media Center. Siebel’s film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival; her film is one that “sparks a national conversation.”

Siebel is a filmmaker and advocate, her main purpose is to “elevate women and men up into our culture.” She originally had the goal to strive as a representative of woman in today’s society. She did not like the way social media would generally portray women. However, she then started to realize the way men were also given a role in society. A role in which they had they were expected to be “womanizer,” or how they never are expected to cry in public. The film is focused the role of masculinity in society today and the controversy it brings among it, especially with the issue on homosexuality.

Some students that attended the video really caught their attention because they knew how it felt to be put on the spot as males. The ladies who attended also felt it was an important issue. Nallely Nava said,  “I think the idea that the film was getting across was powerful, and men, not only women are affected by the way they are given a role.” So far the video has given positive views, and will continue to do so among the general public.