Toxic Masculinity in America

Toxic masculinity. 

Coined in the 1980s by professor Shepherd Bliss, this loaded phrase is used to describe stereotypically “male” traits (such as physical strength and assertive leadership) taken to dark extremes such as dominance, aggression, and emotional suppression. As global culture shifts toward the right, toxic masculinity is easier than ever to find on social media and in our political discourse. Meanwhile, the male population in America is going through a rough patch: According to a study by the American Institute for Boys and Men, men only received 42 percent of bachelor’s degrees last year, which marks their lowest share in history. In many recent surveys, men and boys also report high levels of loneliness. 

These trends have led some men and boys to a dark corner of the internet known as the “manosphere,” in which toxic masculinity is pervasive. Described by USA Today as a “digital collection of websites, videos and forums that promote male supremacy and advocate for traditional gender roles,” the manosphere is populated with “manfluencers” who preach misogynistic ideals to their followers, manipulating them into viewing the rise of women’s rights as the source of their problems. One notorious example is Andrew Tate, an ex-kickboxer who once described some types of sexual assault as “normal male behavior” and faces charges of human trafficking and rape in several countries. Despite being banned from Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, Tate still boasts 8.5 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), showing his tremendous reach online. 

The rise of toxic masculinity is also evident in the political shifts that America is experiencing. The most prominent example of this is President Donald J. Trump, who has made controversial remarks about women and faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct throughout his time in the public spotlight. After Trump’s election victory, misogynistic social media content surged; for example, according to the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, the usage of the phrase “your body, my choice” (a phrase meant to belittle supporters of abortion rights) rose by 4,600 percent in the aftermath of the election. The ISD also noted an online rise in phrases like “get back in the kitchen” and “repeal the 19th [amendment],” a reference to women’s right to vote. Bigoted content that was considered fringe and taboo is becoming normalized in today’s media landscape.

Some of these perspectives appear to have moved from the manosphere into young men’s thinking. According to a report by Hope Not Hate, 50 percent of 16-24-year-old men believe that feminism makes it “harder for men to succeed.” This notion aligns perfectly with the manosphere’s misguided ideologies that elevating women means lowering men. Hopefully, by providing people with stable alternative role models to misogynist manfluencers and spreading awareness about the importance of treating women with respect, we can phase out toxic masculinity from our culture and move toward a future of true equality for us all.