What is Toxic Masculinity?

The notion of gender confusion is a topic gleaming in the spotlight of the media. While some try to support the concept of the fluidity of gender, others publish documentaries such as 'What is a Woman?' by political commentator Matt Walsh. We also have the recent arrest of Andrew Tate, a self-proclaimed misogynist, whom many have now associated with the phrase 'Toxic Masculinity.'  What is Toxic Masculinity? Is masculinity in and of itself harmful to society? Or is this just another attack on the ideals of the patriarchal society that was once dominant in the West?

A quick Google search of the term 'toxic masculinity' yields a result from Oxford Languages that defines it as "a set of attitudes and ways of behaving stereotypically associated with or expected of men, regarded as having a negative impact on men and on society as a whole." Additionally, in January 2019 the American Psychological Association (APA) released its 'Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Boys and Men' describing toxic masculinity, or as they put it, 'traditional masculinity ideology.' While the document doesn't explicitly state the definition of the term, the report released by the writers reveals their self-serving bias.

"Research suggests that socialization practices that teach boys from an early age to be self-reliant, strong, and to minimize and manage their problems on their own (Pollack, 1995) yield adult men who are less willing to seek mental health treatment. " The Guidelines also state:

"Men are overrepresented in prisons, are more likely than women to commit violent crimes, and are at the greatest risk of being a victim of violent crime" (e.g., homicide, aggravated assault; Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2015. (APA Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Boys and Men, August 2018, p. 3) 

Toxic Masculinity, then, can be summed up as encouraging boys to develop a set of attitudes such as being self-reliant, strong, and able to deal with their problems on their own, which apparently leads to a denial of mental health issues and the creation of menaces to society. Such a strong and profound document, by the APA, would surely be backed with enough scientific data to prove their point, right? Well, if you thought so, you'd be wrong!

According to Professor Jordan Peterson, a clinical psychologist and an avid speaker on masculinity:

"First, there is no scientific evidence that aggression, per se, is learned. Like fear, pain, hunger and thirst, rage is instinctual. The biological evidence for this is crystal clear and unshakeable. . . . Aggression in infants is noticeable and measurable in the early months of life, not least as a consequence of the analysis of facial emotion. . . . There is substantive individual variation in aggression, but some general truths can be extracted: boys are more aggressive when young than girls . . . most aggressive two-year olds have been properly socialized, so that their rage is under control, by the age of four. . . . So the idea that aggression is learned is not only wrong, it's backward. Aggression is easy. Civilized behaviour is difficult." 

Peterson goes on to state that the families that produce violent young men are often fatherless ones. Fatherless boys are more likely to be alcoholics, rapists, murderers, addicts and gang members. Writing for Psychology Today, Michael Gurian shares the results of profiles on school shooters:

"The most dangerous male is not one who is strong, aggressive, and successful; the most dangerous male is one who is depressed, unable to partner or raise children successfully, unable to earn a living, unable to care for his children. The most dangerous man is not one with power but one who feels powerless."

Professor Peterson is touted by some as a prime example of the masculine ideology that is "toxic" to society. However, listen to this short clip from one of his interviews.  This is not a response from an aggressive individual, but from someone who is genuinely concerned with the state of our society, someone who sees the future collapse and is desperately trying to warn us. Play a minute or two from this interview.

If boys are to develop and survive in the modern world, which is an increasingly complex one, they need to be strong, to be stoic in the face of hard times and resilient to survive, to be assertive and powerful to uphold what is right no matter the opposition. However, these traits should be inherently woven into qualities such as tenderness, kindness, compassion and fatherhood. Masculinity should be seen as a protective force against violence, not a trait that commits violence. This was in fact the teaching of generations of society when it was influenced by the Judeo-Christian ethic. Maybe that is worth revisiting?