Toxic Masculinity Is Here To Stay

Its fan base is too great for it to go away.

Photo by Mazda Mehrad on Unsplash

Another terminology that I didn’t know existed until I started reading various articles here on Medium & other sites is Toxic Masculinity. Just seeing those two words, I think of a man who uses his masculinity in overbearing, dangerous & destructive ways that not only affect him but possibly those he knows.

Toxic masculinity involves cultural pressures for men to behave in a certain way. And it’s likely this affects all boys and men in some fashion.

Toxic masculinity refers to the notion that some people’s idea of “manliness” perpetuates domination, homophobia, and aggression.

This idea that men need to act tough and avoid showing all emotions can be harmful to their mental health and can have serious consequences for society, which is how it became known as “toxic masculinity.”

Like many young men, I was put on the road to toxic masculinity, because of the expectations that were pushed on me in behaving in an extremely manly way. But, there was always this inner resistance in me as a kid/teen/young adult to become that way. My eccentric nature was just too strong to convert completely to toxic masculinity.

Sadly, a lot of guys didn’t escape the indoctrination that was put in our heads…