Tackling Toxic Masculinity

Tackling Toxic Masculinity

With society evolving, gender roles become heated topic of debate

By Giselle Tabibi, Reporter

YOU CANNOT ESCAPE IT. The idea that men need to be “manly” to function in society has been ingrained into our minds since birth. Going back to elementary school, teachers would ask for “strong boys” to move a desk or chair while girls sat and watched. When girls were picked on as a form of flirting, boys were let off the hook because “boys will be boys.”

Why is it that when a boy shows interest in something remotely “girly” they are labeled too feminine? The notion that everyone in the male species has to be a strong, masculine leader has become toxic to the point that anyone who dares to cross the line of societal norms risks criticism or ostracization. This reinforces the stereotype that men cannot physically or mentally express themselves in their own ways. Psychologists have defined “toxic masculinity” as men condemning non-traditional male gender roles and suppressing their inner emotions, instead using physical violence to prove their dominance.

This does not mean that every single man is guilty of these actions, but everyone should be held accountable for misogynistic behavior that could potentially harm the people around them. Recently, Harry Styles made social media headlines for being featured on the cover of Vogue magazine wearing a ballgown. This prompted conservative commentator Candice Owens to tweet the phrase “bring back manly men,” which trended across social media platforms. Thousands of people were outraged that they would let a man wear a dress in a high-fashion photo shoot, let alone splash him across the cover of a world-renowned magazine. This brought more attention to the fight against toxic masculinity, leading teenage boys to post videos of themselves in feminine clothing and makeup. Harry Styles himself posted a picture from the photo shoot, sarcastically captioning it with the same phrase that sparked the controversy.

In 1985, Australian sociologist Raewyn Connell introduced the concept of hegemonic masculinity. She theorized that gender is based on people’s actions and personalities rather than their outer appearances. There is a level of ideals that every man wants to achieve in order to be considered a “real man.’ For some, that means being muscular and burly; for others it is being looked up to in society. The inability to reach that standard often leads to increased anxiety and insecurity.

Since some men feel they have no outlet to express their emotions, they often emotionally distance themselves from others or resort to physical force and violence to express their thoughts and feelings. Although society has attempted to shift into the mindset that men do not always need to uphold a facade of being tough, there are still a lot of people who do not agree with this new reinvention of masculinity. Why is it such an issue for a man to cry or talk about their feelings when it is acceptable for a woman to do so? According to the Pan American Health Organization, one in five men will die before the age of 50 because of stress induced from societal expectations. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has found that men are four times more likely than women to commit suicide.

This stigma has perpetuated over time, but new generations are growing tired of these outdated gender roles. In an effort to break through, men have been changing the norm by posting content outside of their comfort zone to prove that clothes do not define them.

Prince spoke out about these issues for years before his untimely death in 2016. Throughout his career, he sported crop tops, heels and even a pink, fluffy cropped cardigan. Although he was praised by many, he still received his fair share of backlash. People were unhappy with the feminine way he presented himself and thought that he was negatively influencing future generations into becoming “soft.”

In reality, it is nobody’s business what a person chooses to wear. It should not matter how a man dresses or presents himself. Society needs to normalize men being true to themselves and not conforming to outdated societal expectations.