As seen in today’s society, there are specific characteristics that portray a particular construction of patriarchal ideal masculinity, usually set out at a boy’s young age. The term ‘ideal masculinity’ is defined in terms of toughness, stoicism, heterosexism, self-sufficient attitudes, and lack of emotional sensitivity. This is relatively brought about by the large social and cultural context. Nowadays, boys are under intense pressure when they deviate from social norms as they are forced to exhibit gender-appropriate behaviors according to the ideal male code.
The term ‘toxic masculinity’ is brought about when harmful and damaging outcomes are established in an individual as a result of them not acquiring traditional gender roles. Both males are females face toxic masculinity but perhaps in opposite aspects. In men, the ideal male code stigmatizes and reduces the ability for them to express emotion, comfortably but rather benefits them to convey anger and violence as their only choice of emotion to be expressed. The ‘toxicity’ is what affects mental health in all beings.
Below is a list of behaviors of toxic masculinity that men face today;
1. The need to do everything on their own (extreme self-reliance) which makes it less likely for them to seek help for treatment or financial help.
2. Avoidance of emotional expression and dissociation (the “boys/men don’t cry” statement)
3. Extreme aspiration for physical, sexual, and intellectual dominance.
4. Condemning any affection toward another man as being ‘sexually attracted to’ if anything feminine is condemned from a man.
5. Never being regarded as a ‘victim’.
As a result of these outcomes, the act of conforming to expectations of dominance and aggression in boys may be the key role for the potential acts of violence, whether bullying, assault, and/or physical and verbal aggression, manifested today. This is due to a man’s mental health being immensely affected thereby consequently being pressured to carry out these acts. Aggression is seen when a man experiences stress when failed to live up to masculine expectations. Statistically proven, in the U.S, men represent more than 90% of perpetrators of criminal violence and 78% of the victims, according to the FBI. The change in these statistics is malleable as those in minority populations, who cannot seek help before carrying out violence, are at a greater risk. Lack of support systems as well as the unwillingness of men to seek help contributes greatly to this point.
The connection between toxic masculinity in terms of negative male socialization and violence, as mentioned, led to certain prevention strategies to be carried out. This involves countering the problematic normative pressure boys face as well as changing the way men view and express themselves resulting in a shift of gendered practices, including the use of violence. These prevention methods initiate healthy masculine identities if promoted from childhood. Progression of influence leads to a better adulthood.
Here is a list of certain prevention strategies that can be followed;
1. Educate parents to establish a safe, healthy environment for their child to build strong relationships and by teaching them to express and regulate their emotions.
2. Identify and treat psychological distress precipitated by gender role socialization.
3. Promote well-being relationship skills that deviate from the acceptance of traditional gender role norms.
4. Establish a marketing campaign or join campaigns that are designed to modify cultural and social norms so that the unhealthy male code is not interpreted in the many generations to come.
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