Challenges faced by males

Challenging Toxic Masculinity

Author Mel Rogers

As a group, men have certain advantages in society, the effects of which can be seen in a wide variety of ways— at all levels of government, for example, the overwhelming majority of positions are held by men, But while it's important to look at ways to redress these imbalances, it's also important to consider the ways in which this kind of society disadvantages and harms men.

The reality of American society is that there's a strict range in terms of what's considered to be acceptable masculine and feminine behavior, and it hurts men as well as women. For boys, this means growing up in a society where men aren't encouraged to show emotions, to ask for help, to back down from confrontation, or to back down from a dare. We teach boys that men don't show pain or fear, or talk about their emotions. As a results, many boys grow up believing that the only emotion they can show is anger, and that violence is an acceptable outlet for anger.

Statistics show that the overwhelming majority of violent crimes are committed by men: 99% of rapes, 98% of mass shootings, 86% of armed robberies, 85% of domestic violence injuries, 77% of aggravated assaults. And it's not because men are inherently criminals, or inherently violent. Many factors contribute to this gendered disparity, but it is at least in part because boys grow up in a society that places limitations on what's considered acceptable masculine behavior.

These expectations that are placed on boys and men are part of what's called toxic masculinity. This phrase refers to the fact that society's ideas and expectations for men and male behavior are often harmful to them, and can cause a great deal of pain. Learn more about this subject with this piece.