I ’m sure that the vast majority of people have at least heard tidbits of the song “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from “Mulan,” whether it be from the Disney movie itself or friends that are singing it nearby. The song depicts that obtaining a strong physique and learning discipline are the keys toward becoming a man.

However, over the course of the years since that song’s release, the idea of manhood has transformed into a caricature of the values that are truly important in a person’s life. What was once an image of resilience and responsibility has now become an excuse to be stubborn and ignorant to long-term consequences. Nowadays, I think that the current iteration of masculinity is not something males should strive for.

Excessive drinking and masculinity are currently viewed hand-in-hand. With the numerous beer commercials depicting young guys grabbing beers from the cooler, there is an obvious pressure for boys to drink as a rite of passage into adulthood. At a time where college students transitioning toward the legal drinking age, it’s easy to see how that pressure pushes many people toward a dangerous amount of drinking. Drinking excessively has real risks, and yet this doesn’t stop many partygoers from getting pressure into trashing their bodies.

What never seems to go together with masculinity is virginity. “Growing up” and “getting laid” have become synonymous, so leading a very promiscuous life has become another goal that many males are pressured into to gain respect. Let alone the health risks involved when a person has multiple partners, women are idealized as a means to an end. You might not have noticed, but women rarely talk in the beer commercials I mentioned earlier.

That isn’t an accurate portrayal and should not be taken seriously. Guys, women aren’t objects. They’re human beings just like you. They carry their own unique perspectives on the world and are also pursuing dreams toward success. The notion that a guy has to objectify the opposite sex and use them in order to satisfy his own goals is morally bankrupt. It seems extraordinary these “real men” garner any respect, given how little compassion they have toward the other half of the world’s population.

Fortunately, there are people out there who are fighting this stereotype. According to NPR, there was recently a barbeque Brooklyn, New York, that included half a dozen “manly” men, many of them were professional athletes, and their physiques alone fit the ideal to a T. However, this barbeque was completely vegan — something often considered weak or womanly. Almost all of the attendees of this event were vegans and were taking masculinity to a whole new level. Instead of falling into the stereotype that real men “eat meat ... kill it, and then they grill it,” these men have taken full control of their bodies and redefined what it means to be a man.

Rather than dominating the planet, they choose to help protect it. Female vegans face much less severe pushback than males do because it’s a sign of weakness for men to show compassion toward anything — even our environment.

However, this hasn’t stopped these individuals from making sustainable life decisions, whether it’s the food that they eat or the animal products that they choose to buy on a regular basis.

So, for all of your guys out there trying to prove your masculinity, take just a moment to reevaluate what it really means to be a “manly” man. It is not masculine to be the immature and inconsiderate of the world around you. Real men take an active role in making good decisions for the benefit of everyone.

Henry Pan is a chemical engineering sophomore. Reach him at henrypan@statenews.com.