The Culture of Toxic Masculinity and Our Sons

I came across a recent article that relates both to this course and current events. The article, written by Jim Wallis, discusses how we as a society must create a better stance against the culture of toxic masculinity. What seemed to inspired Wallis to write this article and share his thoughts was the many stories that have come out about Harvey Weinstein's assaults against so many women. Toxic masculinity and the sense of male entitlement can be found anywhere, from the media to Hollywood, even Washington. Wallis makes a powerful and very true statement: "The toxic masculinity that infuses our culture encourages and excuses the abuse of power. We parents and caregivers who want to raise boys into good men must be committed to challenging toxic masculinity with one centered on a commitment to nurture and defend people of all gender identities." It is extremely important that we as a society make a cultural commitment to change these realities for both women and men. Too often do I see that boys from a young age are exposed to sexist speech as an acceptable and expected behavior. It is these simple phrases or actions that can make boys believe that sexual harassment is acceptable. It is important that boys are taught that both sexual harassment and sexist acts or speech are not acceptable at all. This article by Jim Wallis was a really interesting read for me and he highlights some of the ways our society encourages toxic masculinity and explains why we must confront it.

https://sojo.net/articles/father-sons-confronting-culture-toxic-masculinity