What Is Toxic Masculinity?

What Is Toxic Masculinity? Toxic masculinity is an attitude or set of social guidelines stereotypically associated with manliness that often have a negative impact on men, women, and society in general. The term "toxic masculinity" isn’t meant to imply that the idea of masculinity in itself is inherently bad. Instead, it’s meant to point out that certain behaviors and ways of thinking often associated with masculinity, from mental and physical toughness to sexism and homophobia, have a negative and often dangerous impact on the world. While you may think of the term “toxic masculinity” as a modern buzzword, it’s been around for several decades. The term originally came about during the late 20th century men’s movements to describe narrow ideas of masculinity that were holding men back instead of empowering them. They considered toxic masculinity a characteristic of immature men who had not yet found their deep, spiritual masculinity. This men’s movement sought: To increase community among men rather than competition Multigenerational bonding, as they felt that the inability to bond with their fathers was a source of emotional damage To be free to express emotion For all the good things, this movement still contained harmful ideas. Many men felt that their voices had been silenced by the feminist movement, that excessive interaction with women was causing them to lose their internal masculinity, and that accusations of sexism from women were leading to emotional damage.The phrase “toxic masculinity” was later adopted by the fourth wave of feminism, a wave that started about a decade ago. This wave focused more on intersectionality than the waves before it. Intersectionality is the idea that sexism is just one part of systemic oppression along with ableism, ageism, classism, homophobia, and racism. Toxic Masculinity Signs Toxic masculinity is nuanced, but there are a few behaviors that are often caused by toxic masculinity. Some toxic masculinity examples include: Homophobia. Toxic masculinity teaches men that homosexuality is a deviation from traditional masculinity and that gay men are less masculine. For example, consider the way terms like “gay” and “faggot” were and still are used as insults. Need for control. Toxic masculinity encourages men to assert their power and dominance. We see this often in domestic relationships. The 2017 report "The Man Box" found that 34% of men in the U.S. believed they should always have the final say in their relationship, and 46% believed that men deserved to know where their girlfriend or wife is at all times. Promiscuity. Toxic masculinity praises men for having multiple sexual partners while expressing disgust at women who do the same. Refusing to help with household duties. Toxic masculinity rejects roles traditionally considered “women’s work.” Toxically masculine men often refuse to participate in these household duties. "The Man Box" found that 22% of U.S. men believed they shouldn’t have to do household chores, 44% believed they should be the sole income earners, and 28% believed that boys shouldn’t be taught things like cooking, cleaning, and child care. Risk-taking. Taking risks and suppressing fear is another feature of toxic masculinity. As a result, men are more likely to abuse drugs, drive dangerously, gamble, and engage in violence. Sexual aggression toward women. Men who have been influenced by toxic masculinity are more likely to believe they're entitled to women’s bodies, leading to sexual comments and harassment toward women and a higher likelihood of believing rape myths. Stoicism. A cornerstone idea of toxic masculinity is that showing emotion is weak and feminine. Men are expected to be mentally and physically tough without breaking. Statistics and studies show that men are less likely to pursue mental health services like therapy despite being 1.8 times more likely than women to commit suicide. Violence. Toxic masculinity encourages men to use aggression and violence to assert their dominance and masculinity. "The Man Box" report found that 23% of U.S. men believed that, if needed, men should use violence to get respect.