Toxic Masculinity

Developed by Nicolette Schneiderman, Adrian Moore, and Rachel Hodes (2017)

In a patriarchal world where the lives, opinions, and experiences of men are prioritized above all else, a culture is developed around masculinity that constricts people into a set of unjust normalized behaviors. People who do not fall into the confines of this constructed masculinity are vilified, bullies, made to feel inferior, or even forced to repress their own identities.

Men, the very source of the issue and its main perpetrators, face just as many negative consequences as women and other groups do. Toxic masculinity forces girls at a young age to be confronted and assaulted by their supposedly dominant male counterparts while also teaching boys that they are not to be treated as girly lest they be seen as lesser. The concept of what is girly is not only limited to pink things and frilly clothing though; being in touch with your emotions and being able to express said emotions is considered to be feminine and weak by much of society. A man who cries is often seen as being a weak or unmanly man. Thus, we teach our men that they can not show or acknowledge their feelings and that it is unnatural for them as men to do so. The enforcement of the gender binary and the repression of “non-masculine” behavior in men is at the root of many gender-related problems we see today, from heterosexism and homophobia to the restriction of women’s reproductive rights. For our media representation, we chose to have a representation of the destruction of toxic masculinity by burning the staple symbol of masculinity. By burning a penis shaped candle, we show the slow and tedious deterioration of toxic masculinity. This shows how over time, albeit slowly and with initially small steps, we can move towards tearing down the constraints toxic masculinity puts on people and instead begin to teach healthier mindsets and lifestyles. We also decided to ask for honest answers from people about their opinions on toxic masculinity. By pairing the burning of a phallic symbol with commentary from those within the community of Friends Seminary, we hope to acknowledge how the patriarchy has permeated the way we think and act. By showing earnest responses to the questions “what is toxic masculinity” and “how would you suggest fighting against toxic masculinity”, the end result would present an alarming but honest account of the trauma of masculinity. We hope that this image might provoke and encourage people to think about the ways in which sexism, patriarchy, and male privilege affect their immediate environment as well as the overall the society they live in. The video, especially the inclusion of the phallic symbol, is meant to be shocking. Its purpose is to get people talking about toxic masculinity. Often people can feel attacked by the phrase, and we want to introduce it as a terms to be utilized by those who have society’s best interests at heart

WARNING: Video clip contains some graphic images and language

 

For additional information, please visit:

http://www.healthline.com/health-news/toxic-masculinity-mental-health-problems-for-men#5

http://gestproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/GeSt_25102016_Tereskinas.pdf