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There's nothing wrong with masculinity -

To begin with, there is nothing inherently wrong with masculinity. It's when someone becomes so attached to the set of values that it hinders their well-being and the well-being of those around them that it becomes a problem.

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"Man up" -

It isn’t just behaving “like a man.” It also encapsulates society’s pressure on men to be “manly.”

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The kinds of expectations -

Toxic masculinity describes the pressure for men to act tough and be physically strong, emotionally callous, and even aggressive.

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Dissociation with femininity -

As we understand femininity as the opposite of masculinity, a harmful notion is that men should reject qualities associated with femininity, such as showing emotion.

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Thinking in black and white -

When people reject the notion that masculine and feminine energies are constructed to help us understand the different aspects of ourselves, much like yin and yang, we run into problems.

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Men rejecting qualities innate to them as humans -

Toxic masculinity describes a pressure for men to reject the qualities of themselves, branded as feminine qualities, which are inherent to them as human beings.

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Not showing emotions -

Associating masculinity with not showing emotions causes harm to the person. Men who feel like they cannot share how they feel run the risk of suffering from mental health issues.

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Power and status -

The assumption that men must achieve power and status, either financially or socially, to legitimize their masculinity is harmful.

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Toxic masculinity and health care -

One study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior found that men who had strong beliefs about masculinity were only half as likely to get preventative health care than men with more moderate beliefs.

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It causes people to engage in risky behavior -

It’s also been proven that men who have strong beliefs about masculinity are more likely to engage in risky behavior like binge drinking alcohol and smoking.

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The idea that self-care isn't masculine -

Toxic masculinity glorifies unhealthy habits. It’s the idea that caring about yourself is only for women. It sees men abusing their bodies and emotional health.

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Isolation and loneliness -

Isolation and loneliness are two significant results of men not speaking about their feelings.

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Associations with masculinity and witnessing an assault -

A study in 2019 found that men who associated masculinity with being strong and aggressive were more likely to perceive negative social consequences with intervening as an active bystander when witnessing an assault.

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Sexual assault -

In circumstances of sexual assault, men who identified most with traditional masculinity were less likely to stop the assault. The study found that men would intervene if their reputation as being traditionally masculine was being compromised.

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Healthy masculinity -

Understanding the kind of behavior associated with toxic masculinity is essential to understanding what healthy masculinity looks like.

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Comfortable asking for help -

Healthy masculinity allows someone to ask for help when needed, with the person not feeling guilty or ashamed.

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Vulnerability and masculinity -

Being vulnerable is necessary for our relationships and mental health. Someone should be able to be vulnerable without feeling like it’s wrong or less manly.

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Being able to engage in a wide range of emotions -

Healthy masculinity allows people to associate with the wide range of emotions they inevitably feel, including sadness, tenderness, and kindness.

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Communication, not domination -

Healthy masculinity allows people to develop good communication skills.

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Healthy masculinity allows men to speak out against assault and abuse -

As discussed earlier, people whose beliefs about masculinity aren’t as strong are more likely to speak out upon witnessing violence, abuse, or assault. 

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Compassion -

Healthy masculinity allows men to be nurturing and compassionate towards themselves and others around them.

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Being able to seek help -

It means that men can seek help for their emotional struggles and don’t have to suffer in silence because “that’s what real men do.”

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It's contextual -

In a sense, the lines are often blurred as to what constitutes toxic masculinity because it is deemed so based on behavior that happens in a context, which changes.

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The expectation is the problem -

For example, being a go-getter and wanting to provide for your family is a wonderful and selfless thing to do, but the expectation that it’s what men must do is the problem.

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Emotional control and other harmful aspects of masculine culture -

Other forms of masculine culture are less of a gray area. The need to emotionally control others, dominate, and engage in risk-taking behavior are most often harmful to the person and those around them.

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Status -

There is nothing inherently wrong with status, as it’s often rewarded for performance. But men feeling pressured and forcing themselves to achieve it at the expense of their health and well-being and the well-being of those around them is the issue.

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Other related issues -

Toxic masculinity is often discussed in conjunction with social issues like gender inequality, sexual abuse, and race/ethnicity discrimination because they are linked in many ways. 

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Why toxic masculinity is relevant to other social issues -

Healthy masculinity describes the man whose masculinity incorporates the compassion necessary for someone to recognize their privilege as a man in the world of business and to challenge gender inequality in the workplace. And that's just one example.

Sources: (Verywell Mind) (Journal of Health and Social Behavior) (Journal of School Psychology) (Princeton University) (Talkspace) (Psychology Today)

See also: Male celebs with fearless fashion sense

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