“Mard ko dard nahi hota”
This blog will tell you what toxic masculinity truly is, its fascinating and brief history, why some of my 14 YO friends are against it, and why & how to dodge toxic masculinity.
What is Toxic Masculinity?
Toxic masculinity is a set of certain male behaviours associated with harm to society and men themselves.
The character Nate from Euphoria is an example. From an early age, he adopted misogyny and homophobia and learned to mask his emotions and feelings to confirm the societal norms of manhood.
Here is why my 14-year-old friends are against toxic masculinity, and you should be too-
History of Toxic Masculinity
The term first emerged within the mythopoetic Men’s Movement.
In the 1980s, toxic masculinity focused on healing. It included therapeutic workshops and retreats for men.
In the 1990s and 2000s, it spread into academic work. People started associating it with low-income, under-employed, marginalised men, naming solutions like restoring male-dominated families and family values.
In 2015 and later, academic writings about toxic masculinity and the health & well-being of men came into the picture. As it spread in pop culture, feminist scholars and commentators started associating it with sexist norms of manhood.
Why get rid of toxic masculinity?
In the world of toxic masculinity, men CAN NOT be WEAK. Depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and mental health issues are signs of weakness, and hence researches show that men are more likely to avoid seeking help when it comes to these issues.
There are countless reasons for us to work towards ending toxic masculinity, and some of them are:
Some ways of dodging Toxic Masculinity
Stand up against it: When someone encourages toxic masculinity in any way, be the voice that lets them know it is wrong to do so.
Spread awareness: When more people identify the problem, more people will work towards changing the world. Spreading awareness will help us do so.
Battle gender roles: Redefine masculinity. Masculine people can cook, clean, and take care of the domestic household and still be masculine. Feminine people can be the protectors and providers and still be feminine.
Educate kids about it: Growing boys start feeling entitled to be macho and toxic masculine. Educating them about it and teaching boys to be open about their mental and medical health issues will help them lead healthier lives.
Create safer spaces: Create safer spaces for men to open up about their mental and physical health issues. Let’s open up about our mental health because it does not make us weak it only makes us human.
Avoid buying Toxic Masculinity: Do not buy products that promote toxic masculinity in any manner (advertisements, packaging etc).
Boys will be boys: Do not say “boys will be boys” when someone (especially women) talks about their sexual assault because it encourages boys to assume that they can continue to repeat their disgusting mistakes without being held accountable for their actions.
Encourage seeking professional help: Going to therapy, talking about your problems, truly feeling all your emotions and expressing them most certainly does not make you weak or any less of a man.