The Fear of Shame

Men and women are now referred to as individuals trying to meet masculine and feminine norms to be more inclusive. The biggest shame trigger for adhering to masculine norms is not being perceived as weak, which makes it difficult for people who value complying with these norms to be vulnerable. On the other hand, the main shame trigger for women and feminine norms is the expectation of perfection. Asking people to be vulnerable challenges these shame triggers, as vulnerability is seen as weakness by many. Therefore, the fear of shame becomes the biggest barrier to vulnerability.