I want to use this post to clear something up. When I talk about toxic masculinity it always causes a big backlash, and I’ve noticed it’s mainly because men don’t know what it means. When I say I hate toxic masculinity, I do not mean that I hate that you’re a man or that I hate masculinity.
Toxic masculinity is THIS. Toxic masculinity is when men reinforce the idea that men should suppress and ignore softer displays of emotions that are associated with women. Toxic masculinity is reinforcing the fear of physical affection between men because it makes them appear too feminine or even ‘homosexual’.
It has to stop. Let men cry. Let men hold each other. Stop perceiving things that are ‘feminine’ as weak because outing your emotions is not weakness, it’s strength.
I wish me and my pops were this close tbh
men need to grow up.
And like, toxic masculinity hurts all men, but it often feels like it’s also used very specifically to hurt men of color, as I feel is demonstrated by this post. If this had been two white men, I’m sure there would have been people saying terrible things, but I can’t imagine it as bad, and the focus would have been less on the necessity to perform masculinity and more ‘haha gay.’ If that makes sense?
Thoughtfulfangirling 