The Burden of Toxic Masculinity and 3 Ways to Fight It
This is in no way a new concept, it’s something we’ve all had to deal with from time to time. In a nutshell, toxic masculinity is a popular but controversial concept that depicts the negative psychological effects men face when trying to live up to the traditional expectations of manhood.
For many years, terms like ‘red-blooded’, ‘alpha male’, and ‘macho’ were used to describe men who fit into the masculine category. Even more, the concept requires that men be stoic, unemotional, and possess an immense desire for social status. The negative effect of toxic masculinity can be seen in our society today in the form of violence, homophobia, sexual harassment, physical health problems like (cardiovascular issues), and mental health problems. Based on that, here are 3 ways we can fight toxic masculinity.
1. Pay Attention to Media Consumption:
It is not new information that what we consume through the media contributes to the way we live our lives. We are in an age where freedom of speech is expressed carelessly on social media and it sometimes instigates hate while validating the negative feelings we have deep down for certain groups of people.
Being aware of what toxic male thinking is on social media allows you to recognize these stances and disregard the messages they perpetrate. Make sure you call out these trolls on twitter or Facebook because this will threaten their position as the guardians of the traditional male status quo.
2. Be Vocal and Offer Reality Checks:
Many boys and men go through life with a lot of suppressed emotions simply because they believe they are alone in those situations. As such, speaking out would be a form of social suicide and detrimental to the tough nature of man.
Do you know what they need? A reality check and some encouragement so that they can be more open to sharing their experiences and seeking help. Statistics indicate that 1 in 5 complaints of sexual harassment in the workplace is from men. This basically proves that men face these issues too, but we don’t hear about it often because a handful of them are scared to speak up.
3. Encourage Gender Equality:
The guardians of toxic masculinity are constantly threatened by ideas of gender equality and rightly so. This is mostly because gender equality does not simply seek to elevate the place and value of women in society, but it also aims to relieve men of the burdens of toxic masculinity. The need to be the breadwinner, attain social status, and always be in control can be detrimental to a man’s health over time.
Because of the pressure, the loss of a job is more likely to send a man spiraling down the corridor of depression than it is for a woman. This is still the case, even when they have supporting partners or wives who work and earn well. With gender equality in the mix, men can normalize setbacks and give themselves a break from being superheroes all the time.
At the end of the day, the ability to end toxic masculinity lies in the hands of men, but women can join this fight too. To tackle it at the root, they can raise boys who refuse to act privileged. They can equally make it so that they can acknowledge that they are allowed to express their emotions once in a while.