Does the Tough Guise really make guys tough?

It is so strange to think about the ways in which society constructs men and women. Over time the ideal woman has shrunk and the ideal man has grown. What does this say about our culture? That the woman is the submissive being who relies on the bigger man to control and take care of her? This is the message that is being brought to us each and everyday- regardless of whether or not we notice. The pressure that parents begin to put on their sons from birth is where it all begins. Right away boys are taught that they shouldn't cry, to toughen up, to be aggressive and active. Is this the way that we want our men to be when they are all grown up? What if they don't want to behave this way? Could the inner conflict men feel regarding social constructions be stronger than that of women?
Why is it so much harder for a man to go outside the expectations of society and escape that box they have been put in since a young age? When a girl or a woman does something typically more "masculine" they are praised and often looked upon as going over and above their expectations. If a man leaves that masculinity "box", he loses his manhood. This does not make men tough- in fact it does the opposite.