The harmful term toxic masculinity or the norms that rule men and women is also known. This discussion does not seek to offend the men involved, but rather to focus on the negative aspects of socially constructed masculinity as well as the potentially damaging effects. Toxic masculinity refers to how men are socialized to accept traditional masculine gender roles and to limit their emotions. They also have to conform to social expectations and be dominant. Other implications include sexual assault and domestic violence. Many feminists pointed out the possible connection between toxic masculinity, rape and what is now called a “rape culture”. Emilie Bookwald explains how a rape community is formed when society begins to normalize and support sexual violence. Her book defines Rape Culture as “a complex collection of beliefs that encourage sexual aggression by males and support violence against women.” It is a society in which violence is considered sexy and sexuality is violent.” Women are the primary target of rape culture and it is accepted as normal and expected. Sexual violence is seen as an inevitable part of rape culture. The question arises, is toxic masculinity what perpetuates rape culture in the diverse societies where it is found?
Today, toxic masculinity is evident everywhere in America. There are many fraternities and college campuses that use misogynist speech and engage in significant sexist activities. Yale isn’t the only university where incidents of sexual violence against females are common. A Yale fraternity shouted outside a women’s freshman dorm “No Means Yes Means Anal!” in a statement that was a little more than a year old. Lindsay Beyerstein describes in her article, “No MeansYes, Yes Means Annal” Frat Banned from Yale, how some students and alumni thought that these incidents created a “hostile homosexual environment.” This may be understood as a form fo rape culture, where actions are taken that support toxic masculinity, emphasizing male dominance over women. This article is credible because the author, an award-winning investigative journalism journalist, has no vested interests. Jill Filipovic is an opinion contributor for “The Party of Unapologetic Misogyny”. She discusses how it’s most apparent in conservatism. Trump was recorded speaking about grabbing women with their genitals. The white house governs and Trump continues to be the face of the country. The liberals, which are more heavily populated by women, continue to endorse sexual harassment. While the article’s author is well-informed and provides valid examples, there would be a bias in her writing. In fact, the whole article praises the left-winged and bashes conservatism as a whole. Language is another way to portray toxic masculinity. Everyday phrases are infused with gender norms and sexism. Some sayings can also reduce the impact of rape. For example, gamers may say “I just killed you” instead of “I just raped your”.
The United States’ criminal justice system is not surprising when you consider the local consequences of toxic masculinity and how they are linked to the establishment of a rape culture. Ministry of Justice records for 2008 indicate that only 38% of cases involving rape resulted in convictions. Plea bargaining – where the parties to a criminal case work together to come to an agreement outside of trial – has allowed men accused for rape to plead guilty, thus spending less time in prison and facing the consequences than if the offense was actually committed. Rachel Williams, Guardian feature writer, explains that plea bargains are used to establish the notion that rape can be done and that it doesn’t carry serious repercussions. Ruth Hall, from Women Against Rape, says that the rapist’s view will be confirmed and he is more likely to commit rape again.
Gendered violence is an indiscreet global pandemic. It is currently improving but we still need to work together to fix it. Many patriarchal nations have been known not to allow gendered violence to be stopped because it would violate their cultural, religious, and traditional customs. These same customs can be argued to also promote toxic masculinity. As an example of culturally indoctrinated toxic masculinity, consider Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.
This could be solved by creating more masculine identities. This is a way to get rid of the expectation that men should be dominant and emotionless. Jaclyn Fristman, executive director of Women, Action & the Media, a charter participant in CounterQuo, a coalition dedicated addressing sexual violence, stated that “taking action could be as simple as men stating their preference to “female”-coded things, including child-rearing, feminism, nonviolence, or any other–and being open to the social consequences. This can be formalized by working with established organizations, such as Men Stopping Violence.” Men will see a stronger end result than the decrease in rapes resulting from actions taken women.
