You shouldn't get so annoyed at your girlfriend for crying about everything, because it turns out there's a biological reason behind those tears. And no, it's not ladies' wombs making them all sympathetic to that Lifetime special. New research is delving into the difference between how men and women cry, and part of the reason women tear up faster is because their tear ducts are too small. How long until men start comparing the size of their tear ducts in the locker room?
Louann Brizendine, a neuropsychiatrist at the University of California, San Francisco, says men's tear ducts are like a "big fat pipe to drain in a rainstorm," whereas women's tear ducts spill tears out quickly. Other reasons women may cry more are a higher level of lactation catalyst prolactin, lower levels of testosterone (men tend to cry more as they get older), and social conditioning. Dr. Brizendine says men are "taught over and over again not to cry: to scrunch their faces, to think about the Gettysburg address, to distract themselves." She must be confused; we always heard that thinking about politics kept you from getting a boner. Maybe this trick works best for tear-jerking boners?
Data is difficult to find, but researchers say the male reluctance to cry dates back to how factory workers in the 19th century were discouraged from letting emotion interfere with work. When it doubt, blame the Industrial Revolution. One doctoral candidate also said, "We also think men are underreporting their crying." But they're not crying, their eyes are just a little sweaty today:
