Here’s the video showing the beginning: https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2021/11/01/josh-hawley-toxic-masculinity-mh-orig.cnn
The right wing has a new bogeyman: toxic masculinity. They are doing to it what they did to critical race theory. Rather than engage these ideas on their own terms, they redefine the term as something easy to hate. What was a theory for asking deeper questions and raising more awareness, they change into a symbol for something related but ineffable. Then, they raise it up as an indicator of a program or movement that is easy to deplore and which raises outrage. “Men and boys are not toxic!” they say, as if that’s what was meant in the first place.
It’s not what was meant — at all.
Although “toxic masculinity” is susceptible to being misunderstood this way, it was never meant to indicate that boys and men are toxic. The term refers to toxic behaviors by men, mostly in relation to women, many of which were revealed in #MeToo. It captures notions of dominating machismo, male superiority, and repression of emotions — these and other aspects of so-called traditional masculinity which provide psychological support to men who act in #MeToo ways.
Hawley and the right wing have set a trap here. Just as they did with critical race theory, they have taken a legitimate line of inquiry and simplified it into the easily vilifiable. Of course men and boys are not toxic, they will say, and therefore all efforts to corral boys from overly aggressive, dominating behaviors toward girls should be opposed. Why? Because they are based on the idea that men and boys are toxic; that is, on toxic masculinity.
Just as with critical race theory, it is apparent that the real goal here is to prevent awareness. At virtually all costs, they are dedicated to protecting the proposition of white male superiority. Let’s not know or discuss the experience of blacks and slaves. Let’s not know or discuss or have empathy for the plight of women as revealed in #MeToo. Let’s never let on that there is anything wrong with exactly how society has been.
Except, of course, they are just so wrong.
The right wing is terrified of people thinking for themselves and being aware of themselves. They seek to stop any efforts in schools, work places, churches, or other public places which might cultivate such awareness. They know that if people are aware of the history and present circumstances of blacks in America, they will be outraged. They know that if people are aware of #MeToo — both men and women — they will be outraged and take action.
In both cases, right wing ideology is indefensible. “Traditional values” are crimes against humanity. Is that too far? If you think so, read Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Read The Color Purple. They are full of “traditional values” between the races and between men and women. The last thing the right wants is for us to promulgate awareness until they are outnumbered.
The urgent work of inner awareness is now under attack, but it is also being fed, exercised, and grown. The right wing attack will not stop those of us continuing to do the work. By engaging the “toxic masculinity” discussion, they are signaling their activists to attack anything that restricts boys, boyish behavior, and male entitlement. They are seeking to end awareness-building programs, courses, and publications. Any such restriction will be made into an issue at public events like school board meetings.
Let’s be clear about a few things: Men and boys are not toxic. Awareness is the key, and we have the tools to create it. And most importantly, what happens to women and girls as revealed in #MeToo must stop.
We must also know this: The right wing is not a partner. They just declared themselves for what they really are. Expect a fight wherever we see them. And let’s keep going.
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Anthony Signorelli authors books and articles on men, #MeToo, postcapitalism, climate, green energy, political history, poetry, and books. He is the former editor of Inroads: A Journal of the Male Soul, co-facilitated men’s groups in the wake of #MeToo, and has published six books.
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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