1 00:00:00,026 --> 00:00:02,224 During your travels around the internet, 2 00:00:02,224 --> 00:00:04,114 you may have bumped into the term 3 00:00:04,114 --> 00:00:05,793 “Toxic Masculinity.” 4 00:00:06,101 --> 00:00:07,991 It usually shows up in connection with 5 00:00:08,005 --> 00:00:09,976 particularly abusive male behavior-- 6 00:00:09,976 --> 00:00:14,616 so, things like harassment, homophobia, sexism, or violent outbursts. 7 00:00:14,635 --> 00:00:16,704 But what does it really mean? 8 00:00:16,704 --> 00:00:18,725 Well, let’s find out. 9 00:00:18,725 --> 00:00:20,796 (Intro music) 10 00:00:27,147 --> 00:00:30,611 Now, since there tends to be so much confusion and defensiveness 11 00:00:30,611 --> 00:00:32,925 surrounding these two words, I think 12 00:00:32,925 --> 00:00:36,235 we might need to start off with a really clear example. You know, something 13 00:00:36,235 --> 00:00:38,691 that we can all agree on. 14 00:00:38,701 --> 00:00:40,041 Okay, yeah. 15 00:00:40,085 --> 00:00:42,715 but honestly I think he needs his own video 16 00:00:42,715 --> 00:00:44,796 so maybe something else would-- 17 00:00:44,796 --> 00:00:45,851 Biff: What do you think you’re doing?! 18 00:00:45,851 --> 00:00:47,271 ---- ok, that’s gonna work. 19 00:00:47,297 --> 00:00:51,007 This charming fellow is Biff from the Back to the Future series. 20 00:00:51,015 --> 00:00:59,195 Biff: Hello, hello, anybody home? 21 00:00:59,195 --> 00:01:01,157 Biff: Huh? Think, McFly, think! 22 00:01:01,397 --> 00:01:04,577 Ok, so let’s start with the word masculinity itself. 23 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:09,779 Very broadly speaking, masculinity is a set of behaviors and practices that 24 00:01:09,833 --> 00:01:13,413 have traditionally been associated with men and manhood in our culture. 25 00:01:13,435 --> 00:01:16,625 And that includes both positive and negative things. 26 00:01:16,627 --> 00:01:18,679 “Toxic masculinity,” on the other hand, 27 00:01:18,679 --> 00:01:22,599 is a loose term that’s used to refer to a subset of those behaviors 28 00:01:22,610 --> 00:01:24,560 which are harmful or destructive. 29 00:01:24,570 --> 00:01:26,260 It’s often used as a sort of shorthand 30 00:01:26,275 --> 00:01:30,305 to describe behaviors linked to domination, humiliation, and control. 31 00:01:30,310 --> 00:01:34,230 It’s marked by things like emotional detachment and hyper-competitiveness -- 32 00:01:34,697 --> 00:01:37,407 Lorraine: Look Biff, somebody already asked me to the dance. 33 00:01:37,433 --> 00:01:39,693 Biff: Who? That bug George McFly? 34 00:01:39,693 --> 00:01:43,051 Lorraine: I’m going with Calvin Klein, ok? 35 00:01:43,104 --> 00:01:47,094 Biff: Calvin Klein? No, it’s not okay. You’re going with me. Understand? 36 00:01:47,278 --> 00:01:48,808 Lorraine: Get your cooties off of me! 37 00:01:48,808 --> 00:01:52,488 Biff: When are you gonna get it through your thick skull, Lorraine? You’re my girl. 38 00:01:52,685 --> 00:01:56,635 It’s also connected to the sexual objectification of women, as well as 39 00:01:56,638 --> 00:01:59,238 other predatory sexual behaviors. 40 00:01:59,425 --> 00:02:01,445 Biff: You know you want me to give it to you. 41 00:02:01,471 --> 00:02:04,921 Lorraine: Shut your filthy mouth. I’m not that kind of girl! 42 00:02:05,068 --> 00:02:08,138 Biff: Well maybe you are, and you just don’t know it yet. 43 00:02:08,748 --> 00:02:13,178 Jonathan: It’s also linked very closely with aggression, intimidation, and violence. 44 00:02:13,745 --> 00:02:15,675 Biff: Do you wanna take a poke at me? 45 00:02:20,978 --> 00:02:23,348 The modifier “toxic” is used to highlight 46 00:02:23,359 --> 00:02:25,601 the fact that these kinds of behaviors 47 00:02:25,601 --> 00:02:29,581 carry with them some potentially serious and even deadly consequences. 48 00:02:30,950 --> 00:02:35,180 Much of this type of masculinity is relational, and as such, it's mostly 49 00:02:35,180 --> 00:02:39,290 defined in opposition to anything culturally associated with women. 50 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:44,860 Which is why toxic masculinity is driven by this overwhelming fear of emasculation, 51 00:02:44,964 --> 00:02:50,474 that is to say the fear of being perceived by others as “feminine” and therefore “unmanly.” 52 00:02:50,619 --> 00:02:54,797 Many of the most popular male heroes in movies are depicted as engaging in 53 00:02:54,797 --> 00:02:57,067 at least a few of these toxic behaviors. 54 00:02:59,123 --> 00:03:02,443 James: There, now let’s both play. 55 00:03:03,726 --> 00:03:05,686 Jonathan: But because they’re the good guys, 56 00:03:05,692 --> 00:03:10,342 their actions are framed as admirable displays of strength, power, and manhood. 57 00:03:20,355 --> 00:03:21,866 James: Dink, meet Felix Leiter. 58 00:03:21,866 --> 00:03:22,739 Dink: Hello. 59 00:03:22,739 --> 00:03:23,952 James: Felix, say hello to Dink. 60 00:03:23,952 --> 00:03:24,712 Felix: Hi, Dink. 61 00:03:24,722 --> 00:03:26,102 James: Dink, say goodbye to Felix. 62 00:03:26,111 --> 00:03:29,321 Dink: Hmm? James: Man talk. 63 00:03:30,128 --> 00:03:31,363 Jennifer: It’s like Doc’s always saying-- 64 00:03:31,363 --> 00:03:34,333 Marty: Yeah yeah, I know: “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.” 65 00:03:34,355 --> 00:03:35,565 Jonathan: And even when those behaviors 66 00:03:35,598 --> 00:03:40,178 are not celebrated, it’s often framed as acceptable or normal and then excused 67 00:03:40,178 --> 00:03:43,538 as just “guys being guys” or “boys being boys.” 68 00:03:44,967 --> 00:03:47,557 Just to make sure there’s no misunderstanding 69 00:03:47,599 --> 00:03:50,069 I want to make something absolutely clear. 70 00:03:50,126 --> 00:03:54,116 This term is not a condemnation of men or manhood. 71 00:03:54,192 --> 00:03:59,582 Because again “toxic masculinity” only refers to a particular set of harmful 72 00:03:59,628 --> 00:04:01,766 actions and cultural practices. 73 00:04:01,766 --> 00:04:06,266 And none of those behaviors are inherent or biological traits of men. 74 00:04:06,270 --> 00:04:09,390 There is nothing toxic about just being a man, 75 00:04:09,416 --> 00:04:12,540 but some men do act in toxic ways. 76 00:04:12,540 --> 00:04:16,480 So in other words “toxic masculinity” is not something that men ARE, 77 00:04:16,512 --> 00:04:19,622 but rather it’s something that some men DO. 78 00:04:19,641 --> 00:04:22,041 Alright. So, let’s return to our friend Biff here. 79 00:04:22,071 --> 00:04:24,380 Now Biff is an obvious buffoon. 80 00:04:24,380 --> 00:04:27,600 I mean, he's a schoolyard bully. He’s like a cartoon villain. 81 00:04:27,618 --> 00:04:31,365 His actions are easy to spot and understand as damaging because 82 00:04:31,365 --> 00:04:35,045 really toxic masculinity is what defines him as a character. 83 00:04:38,047 --> 00:04:40,927 Biff: You heard him, girls. Party’s over. 84 00:04:41,392 --> 00:04:45,232 At every point in Back to the Future there might as well be a giant neon sign 85 00:04:45,260 --> 00:04:48,720 hanging over Biff’s head that says, “Hey, this is the bad guy.” 86 00:04:48,734 --> 00:04:52,814 So that’s really easy, but things are rarely so clear cut. 87 00:04:52,864 --> 00:04:57,424 In the real world all kinds of men can participate in toxic masculinity. 88 00:04:57,424 --> 00:05:03,243 Including seemingly normal guys who might also be nerdy or charming or witty or intelligent. 89 00:05:03,243 --> 00:05:09,056 Since toxic masculinity is a set of behaviors, and not a biological trait, the real men who 90 00:05:09,056 --> 00:05:12,986 participate are not really one dimensional character archetypes like Biff. 91 00:05:13,014 --> 00:05:16,064 And they usually don’t do all of the things on the list. 92 00:05:16,092 --> 00:05:20,712 Okay, well, sometimes they do, but usually that’s not the case. 93 00:05:26,596 --> 00:05:28,336 There is a mistaken impression out there 94 00:05:28,336 --> 00:05:33,063 that “toxic masculinity” means that everything about masculinity is somehow toxic. 95 00:05:33,095 --> 00:05:35,020 But that is not the case. 96 00:05:35,020 --> 00:05:41,130 In fact, the term “toxic masculinity” is used very deliberately to try to differentiate 97 00:05:41,130 --> 00:05:45,852 the more damaging or destructive male behaviors from more positive male behaviors. 98 00:05:45,876 --> 00:05:50,226 When it comes to this term, it’s really important to understand that it’s used 99 00:05:50,230 --> 00:05:55,908 to reinforce the fact that there are many different types and formulations of masculinity, 100 00:05:55,908 --> 00:05:59,768 or as RW Connell puts it, different masculinities. 101 00:06:00,168 --> 00:06:05,228 And since there are many ways to practice masculinity, we as men, can choose not to 102 00:06:05,228 --> 00:06:10,006 engage in the more toxic behaviors, and instead choose to pursue more positive, 103 00:06:10,006 --> 00:06:12,953 empathetic, and cooperative forms of masculinity. 104 00:06:13,659 --> 00:06:16,029 Now we only just scratched the surface here, 105 00:06:16,048 --> 00:06:17,920 but I’ll leave some links and resources 106 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:19,640 in the box below if you want to learn more. 107 00:06:19,646 --> 00:06:23,266 I hope this video did give you a better understanding of this term 108 00:06:23,269 --> 00:06:26,129 and maybe help clear up some of the misunderstandings about it. 109 00:06:26,154 --> 00:06:29,781 If you’d like to see more videos related to media and manhood, 110 00:06:29,781 --> 00:06:32,531 just hop on over to my Patreon page and 111 00:06:32,543 --> 00:06:35,553 help fund the Pop Culture Detective Agency.