A great deal of talk - and action - goes in to women's' lib these days and, apart from the pedantic rubbish that would have us say, "a policeperson just fell down a personhole", it is to be applauded. Sadly it is only beginning to occur to us that men are also in great need of liberation.

Whatever good qualities the Australian male may have, he is, without a doubt, emotionally constipated. He is conditioned into keeping "a stiff upper-lip" and brain-washed into believing that 'Balmain boys don't cry'. Apparently, Balmain boys set the criteria for masculine behaviour.

From childhood the male is told to 'act like a man', which is really as absurd as asking a six year old girl to act like a woman. He is to show no weakness, no fear, no emotions and, above all, no matter how hurt or betrayed he feels, he must not cry. "Do you hear me, sissy? stop crying!" If he does not get this from his father, who is just passing on what he has been taught, he will get it from his teachers and peers. How wise we would be to say, "that's right son, let it out. Then we'll see what we can do about it."

Traditionally the male is expected to play the role of provider. He has to get out there and earn the money to pay for the food, the clothes, the mortgage and the car. Now that women have liberated themselves to some extent, they can share in these burdens. In a recession there isn't that much choice.

Men are rightly accused of not making a commitment. They play the philanderer, flitting bee-like from flower to flower. Well, can you blame them these days? The liberated ladies make it so darned easy! Even girls in primary school are having sex with boys who, naturally, know nothing about responsibility and commitment in a relationship. They are learning an awful lot about sex without obligations. The questions among male youths are usually, "How many have you had?" "How many times did you do it?" and "How was she?" The latter referring not to her personality but to her sexual prowess. A Male rave notice being, "Oh man! She does it all!"

Men may be sharing the housekeeping these days, but that is in no way liberating their emotions. A man is not considered effeminate because he washes the dishes or cooks a curry. We might get a bit worried if he bakes a cake. Bread's okay, but not cake. See the conditioning?

Let a man burst into tears and sob out his fear and distress - and watch the proverbial hit the fan. "Wow! What a weakling. How embarrassing!" On rare occasions he might release his emotions to a fellow male whom he trusts absolutely. He would probably prefer to die rather than display such emotions to a woman. He believes she expects him to be big and strong.

A male child, being spontaneous, may do so with his mother but, fearing reproof, holds back with his father. Once a male reaches puberty his attitude towards the female changes. Depending on his conditioning, and the women involved, he can treat them as objects of fascination and mystery or just plain sexual objects.

Men can be taught to find happiness and fulfilment in a loving relationship with giving and caring on both sides. Women play a most important part in a man's conditioning. If a woman is so foolish as to give a man her body BEFORE asking for some emotional, or social commitment she should not be surprised and hurt by his lack of it.