Toxic masculinity, a very prominent feature of modern American culture, has been a constant and relentless issue since its inception. The idea that a man has to prove, through violence and anger, that he is indeed a man. Over time, the problem in our country has gotten increasingly worse, but now is the time to truly combat this problem.
In Tough Guise 2, Jackson Katz explains how a history of violent stories. told through folklore and film, has shaped the masculine identity of men. These past stories have given out the idea that men have to be big and strong and "manly" to be a "real man." The ways that these ideas are expressed, however, have consistently become more violent and full of anger. Another compounding factor into toxic masculinity is how our society berates men, through feminine insults like "bitch", "pussy", or even just calling them a woman. These types of insults have had a devastating effect on not only our societal views of masculinity but also those of femininity. Using these terms as insults inadvertently demean women and suggests that they are less than the likeness of men. This pressure that our society imposes upon men, and unknowingly on women as well, creates a vicious cycle of toxic masculinity and subservient femininity
One quick idea that I also want to address is from two articles, The Boys Are Not Alright, and Not Your Father's Masculinity. These two passages have brought to light the idea that the men of our country have a severe problem, not at the complete fault of themselves, but also the fault of how our society has been built throughout time. There isn't a quick way to fix this problem, but we can start by condemning those who shun men for, expressing their emotions, talk about their problems and fears with others, and generally being a decent human being. We can overcome this epidemic of toxic masculinity only after we disregard the historical ideals that have plagued us for countless years.
Gavin, your in depth analysis of toxic masculinity itself was impressive. I thought you proposed some great discussion points. The one that catches my eye is, "These two passages have brought to light the idea that the men of our country have a severe problem, not at the complete fault of themselves, but also the fault of how our society has been built throughout time. " I never really have thought about how this may problem has developed overtime, or even how we can combat this. You also mentioned that a man is not a man by being agressive and vioent. I enjoyed reading this and evaluating all the discussion points you brought up within your blog post!
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