The society we live in is aggressively patriarchal. The gender norms that have been ingrained into our system of values and practices by men for centuries have a negative impact on men, women, and everyone else. It’s not easy to break free from these harmful patterns. But breaking free isn’t impossible, it just takes time, commitment and effort on our part. We often see examples of toxic masculinity in advertising, movies, and music videos. The portrayals of hyper-masculine characters are also an unavoidable aspect of the world we live in. These characters are designed to make us feel uncomfortable about how we view masculinity and gender roles as a whole. Overcoming the negative effects of toxic masculinity requires practice and patience over time to see results. In this blog post we will explore the ways toxic masculinity can be overcome with conscious action from the individual man as well as from institutions like schools and workplaces that influence the culture within them.
What is Toxic Masculinity?
Toxic masculinity is a set of beliefs, expectations, and behaviors that are associated with traditional male roles and is believed to be unhealthy. Toxic masculinity is also referred to as hegemonic masculinity, hyper-masculinity, or blue-pill masculinity. It is created and reinforced by the culture around us, including media, marketing, schools, and organizations. Often, those who are trying to overcome toxic masculinity may use the terms “toxic masculinity” and “toxic men” interchangeably. However, for the purposes of this article, we define toxic masculinity as the traditional notion of what it means to be a man. Another way of thinking about toxic masculinity is to compare it with a toxic substance, like a dangerous chemical. Just as harmful chemicals contaminate our water supply and air quality, toxic masculinity has contaminated our culture. But toxic substances can be harmful to the ecosystem and even fatal for certain organisms. Similarly, toxic masculinity is not healthy for men, women, and society at large. It’s important to recognise when we are being poisoned, so that we can begin to cleanse ourselves.
Some Examples of Toxic Masculinity
- Hyper-masculine stereotypes: Men are tough, don’t cry, don’t be emotional, have deep voices, don’t show affection to partners or friends, should be sexualising at all times, and so on. - Gender-stereotyped roles: Men are supposed to be strong, brave, and always take the lead. Women are supposed to be submissive, nurturing, and always take the backseat. - Violent expressions: Men are supposed to be tough, strong, and unafraid of showing their emotions or expressing themselves through art or music. They are not allowed to be vulnerable or feel pain. - Sexualised expressions: Men are not allowed to be sexual beings. They are expected to be sexual beings, but not sexual people. They are expected to be hyper-sexual beings, but not sexual people. - Domination: Men dominate and control other men, women, and the world at large.
How does toxic masculinity contribute to gender inequality?
Researchers have found that when men are encouraged to be more masculine, they are more likely to hold sexist beliefs and express sexist behaviors towards women and other men. Toxic masculinity is a major factor that contributes to gender inequality. When men are encouraged to live up to toxic masculinity ideals, they are more likely to be sexist. The more men embrace toxic masculinity, the more sexist attitudes and behaviors they will display. This is one of the most important ways in which toxic masculinity contributes to gender inequality.
Overcoming TMS From Individual Men
We all have the power to create a new culture where masculinity is healed and reflected. When we see toxic masculinity at work in our friends, family, and community, we can challenge it. When we see someone being oppressive or violent because of their gender, we can intervene. We can call out oppressive behaviors and use calling out as a positive way to heal our society. There is a great deal of work that needs to be done to improve the culture of toxic masculinity. However, that doesn’t mean we should give up and stay silent. We can work to bring more men into spaces where they can learn about resources to heal from toxic masculinity and how to create a more inclusive and respectful culture for everyone. Men can also work to build trust and relationships with women in their life and at work. This will help them to feel more comfortable speaking up when they see toxic masculinity at work and provide support to those who do.
Overcoming TMS From Institutions
Organizations can also create more inclusive cultures where traditional gender roles are not reinforced. Institutions are great places to create change. Universities, schools, workplaces, sports teams, and other organizations can create more inclusive spaces for everyone by making sure there is a safe space for anyone to speak out. This can be done by creating an environment where people feel supported in speaking out when they see toxic behaviors or attitudes that are oppressive towards others based on gender.
Conclusion
The truth is that toxic masculinity is not real masculinity. Real masculinity is caring, loving, gentle and gentle men who understand the value of having support partners and friends in life. Toxic masculinity is not real masculinity. It is a type of masculinity that is often demeaning and oppressive to other men and women. It is a way of being that leads to violence and is often associated with men who have been socialized as boys in a way that has left them feeling helpless and angry. If we want to create a more respectful and inclusive society, we need to challenge toxic masculinity.