‘Courage isn’t inherently a masculine quality, of course, but there’s more to it than that. People often use the phrase “grow a pair” or “strap on a pair” as a way of belittling someone who has shown weakness, or vulnerability’
‘Every year, dozens of men die because they decided to “strap on a pair” rather than admit their own weakness. Whether it’s shrugging off a niggling illness or feeling unable to talk about mental health problems (young men are at far greater risk from suicide than women, for example), the things we’ve been told about what it is to be a man can be our own worst enemy. It’s not weakness to admit you can’t cope; it’s strength.’
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/lifestyle/2012/05/no-i-will-not-grow-pair
