Does Toxic masculinity and Toxic femininity even exist?

[DUMMYTHICK]

Do they really exist or it is just made up by people who hates masculine and/or feminine people

[AmandaYVR]

The Toxic Masculinity concept began in academic circles and has been widely investigated in social psychology. Over time, the term was adopted by laypeople. Now it seems to be have been weaponized against men, and also used by men as a way to succinctly symbolize their feelings of being relegated and accused of all things evil and ill in the world.

The original concept essentially questions whether testosterone is the key driver in things like male aggression, higher crime rates by males, risk-prone behaviour, rape, sexual harassment, female oppression, abuse, etc. etc. It was later expanded to question an even wider variety of social problems that affect both men, and women indirectly.

I did some research on this. I was tired of having the topic come up repeatedly, so laced with contentiousness. I wanted to get the bottom of it, and real root, not the bastardized version spouted by the ignorant.

There was one study I found that seemed fair and acceptably accurate. It found a link between rigid adherence to a male gender role and negative views on women, also resulting in violence perpetrated upon them. I wrote about it here: Rigid Masculine Gender Role Adherence & The Connection to Violence and Hostility Against Women This is what I would call toxic masculinity.

However, I don't use the term. I, personally, believe that both terms should be eradicated from our language and society. But that's not going to happen anytime soon, it seems. We're in a very difficult time, socially, culturally, right now (particularly in the West and the UK and Australia), and it will take many years before the dust settles from this, and a more hospitable environment is created where there is less division and more trust. Personally, I can't envision it, but I do hope for it, long past when I'm gone.

And I would also argue that if toxic masculinity exists, then toxic femininity must exist also. This is counter to the original concept, which points the finger at testosterone. But I think toxic femininity, if it exists, exists more on a psychosocial level. It is learned, taught, and even proselytized as gospel - femininity, that is. Femininity has been seen as warm, nurturing, and certainly not evil. But I think this fourth wave feminism has now morphed into something more aggressive than ever in the past, and I don't like seeing any type of fight that is based on "now it's our turn" type of thing. I'm truly for equality, not evening the score. But I also don't think everything on planet earth needs to be accessed by both equally. Driver's licenses, the right to vote, holding public office, running our most important and influential companies - these all must exist and be improved upon. But we are not the same, we have different roles, different assets, and bring different benefits to society and to our fellow man. We could use the terms, but they are generally used to criticize, and we have far too much of that going on nowadays. Groupthink, tribalism, yada yada, we all know it all. I'm interested in repair, not destruction. So, to me, whether it exists or not, I think it should be swept away, out of sight, out of use, retired.

Masculinity, in and of itself, is not 'toxic.' This phrase does more harm and damage than good. Testosterone builds and it destroys. It's a double-edged sword, but we need it. It has built our cities and infrastructures, as one example. People need to learn, accept, and stop demonizing it. Look at the man, not the fact that he is a man.

[NaultD]

Well is there better ways to demeninst masculinity or feminity?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/d7-Xy5oioIo

With rocky he looks into a mirror and sees his reflection as his only opposition that he himself seeks to improve on himself to be the man he wants to be.

Some one I would be consider toxic looks into the mirror spiteful and spiting at the world for forcing their hand to be spiteful to others. A loop of hate.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/huLSdm6IH0g

While I do like boxing myself in the mirror. This metaphor can help those who do not.

[IceCreamSandwich]

Of course. That's just when someone is toxic and excuses it by claiming it's feminine or masculine and therefore natural and good for them to do.

[slatyb]

Toxic masculinity definitely exists. That's the definition of a group of men who, as a group, abuse women around them.

[DUMMYTHICK]

And toxic femininity?

[slatyb]

It's possible, not something I've seen. There are cultures where anywhere behavior from young men is tolerated it encouraged "boys will be boys". This is nothing new. It's a sign of a dysfunctional culture.

[ProbablyClueless]

Of course. It's what happens when someone behaves in accordance with their gender roles to the detriment of the people around them.

[ImHere22]

Hey dummy, toxic masculinity is legit real. Open up a psych book; it'll explain it.

[petitedollbabee]

They definitely exist. Google is at your disposal for research.

[Snakeyes7]

It's a load of malarkey because, at least for toxic masculinity, the people who tout that idea think men's brains work the same as women's. They don't.

[Zestyassmf1997]

It depends on the context. As a rule I generally regard them as silly buzzwords.

[Anonymous]

It's all bullshit