ALI HAXTON
W
hat does it mean to be a man? To be
little things in my life. I can sometimes get insecure
honest, that is an excellent question. I think tradi-
about what people think about me, which doesn’t
tionally to be a man is to be strong, to take care
fit the male personality stereotype. I’ve never really
of people. Certainly in a family aspect, you need
felt that I live up to that stereotype, but growing up
to be seen as the breadwinner. You are the top
I’ve learned that it’s okay not to.
dog. But today things are changing a little bit. It
Toxic masculinity is such a big issue. I’ve got
is becoming okay to not be the manly stereotype
mates who play rugby, I know what they get up to
that we once had to be. To be a man today is very
when they’re not playing and it’s the stereotypical
different than it used to be. A lot of the time, I’ve
lad culture. It can be a bit intimidating sometimes.
experienced not living up to what I think it is to
I think toxic masculinity still exists because people
be a man. I’ve never really been the stereotypical
didn’t speak out against it. It’s dangerous because
manly guy. I’ve never been physically strong, or
it forces men to feel that they need to fit the male
muscly, even though I’m tall. I’ve never been into
stereotype when in reality we don’t need to, and it
manly things. In terms of my personality and male
could make men pretend to be someone they’re
stereotypes, I tend to approach everything with
not. I think it’s important we hold each other to
caution. I also worry and overthink a lot about the
account with lad culture and sexual assault too.
