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  • Essay / Of Monsters and Men: Challenging Toxic Masculinity

    Toxic masculinity dates back to the earliest traditions of “manliness” which incorporates traits and behaviors that can harm oneself and others. Men are held up by stereotypical standards of masculinity associated with harshness and dominance. However, feminine traits in men that are seen as deviating from cultural norms of masculinity should be accepted rather than stigmatized. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay At a young age, boys are exposed to the idea that the ideal characteristic of masculinity is to repress any emotion that might be considered weak or vulnerable. . Veissière (2018) explains that men toughen children by establishing a strong, aggressive and insufficiently caring archetype of masculinity. Such an archetype leads to emotional repression that could prevent a boy from growing up and establishing meaningful relationships that foster emotional intimacy between family members and peers. Adherence to these traditional definitions of masculinity could impact not only relationships, but also the expression and regulation of emotions toward others. The notion of extreme autonomy as part of the many harmful traits and behaviors of toxic masculinity is concerning in the aspect of help-seeking and well-being when it comes to mental health. According to the APA (2018), men protect their vulnerability by displaying aggression, irritability, and interpersonal distance, without knowing that these are covert expressions of depression. Exposing boys to the idea of ​​being autonomous, courageous and resolving conflicts on their own could lead young boys to adopt violent and aggressive behaviors as an act of avoidance that could prevent professionals from providing assistance. As adolescent males emerge in society, they often portray strong, tough personalities, conforming to the norms they are taught to avoid being excluded. Gender norms affect adolescents' gender attitudes. In order to leave society feeling like they are sufficiently manly, adolescents attempt to assert as much dominance as possible, especially in their area of ​​expertise or, in this case, even in the school environment. Hegemonic behavior is practiced not only towards the opposite sex, but also towards the minority group of men. Whenever they see someone expressing femininity, they try to toughen them up using brute force, like they think real men can do and handle. Thus, we cultivate intimidation towards men who show feminine attributes. And these active expressions of masculinity to enforce toxic standards of manhood develop over time. Maintaining masculine standards and the pressure of perceived defeat in embodying masculine expectations arouses hostility. These appear to be men's expression of glorified negative attributes of masculinity, for example violence against others and intimate partner violence (IPV). This reflects the feelings of hostile men involved in circumstances that compromise their glamorous manhood. As a result, this reveals the relentless penetration of an unhealthy idea of ​​masculinity through time and its possible progression towards violent behavior. Furthermore, these behaviors are the result of their conforming to the norms established by decades of patriarchal beliefs in society. This is manifested by their tendency to establish dominance, as well as.