What is masculinity?
Masculinity refers to characteristics that are typically associated with, or expected of men. Characteristics include:
- Self-reliance
- Achievement
- Restricted emotional expression
- Courage
- Assertiveness
- Leadership
- Strength
These characteristics are not necessarily harmful in and of themselves, however when taken to their extremes, can have harmful consequences on the emotions and mental health of men.
What is toxic masculinity, and how does it affect mental health?
Toxic masculinity is a term used to describe the negative impact of adhering rigidly to these masculine characteristics, coupled with an emphasis on manhood being defined by violence, sex, status, domination, stoicism and aggression.
Research shows that these views are usually reinforced during childhood and throughout life. Some phrases that exemplify the pressure put on men to live up to these attributes are:
- Be a man- get over it!
- Big boys don’t cry
- Man up!
Such phrases can negatively influence how men behave later in life. Men may feel they must avoid expressing their emotions instead of seeking help, which may lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as overworking, violence and substance abuse. These harmful coping mechanisms may eventually lead to depression and anxiety.
Although women are diagnosed with depression at twice the rate of men, men are 3.5 times more likely to commit suicide. This suggests that men are less likely to seek help when it is necessary and highlights how detrimental certain views on masculinity can be on the lives of young men.
Toxic masculinity can also harm family and friends of those affected. Toxic masculinity may be linked to domestic violence- men in relationships may seek to dominate and control their partners, threatening violence or acting violently if the partner does not cooperate.
Strategies for change
- Changing our thinking of masculinity can help encourage men to express their emotions more openly and to seek help when necessary.
- Expressing emotion and seeking help is normal; showing empathy and encouragement towards those in distress is a crucial step to improving mental wellbeing in young men.
- Talking about emotions and not shaming those who do not live up to traditional ideas of ‘masculinity’ are the first steps towards challenging toxic masculinity.
- Ultimately, changing ideas of masculinity and toxic masculinity will take time as they are cultural values and require slow widespread pressure to become less harmful.
