Toxic masculinity hurts young men; Teen minds influenced by flawed mindsets

  It is 2022. Some may know it as “the year of the influencer,” according to Influencer Marketing Hub.

     It is becoming very clear, especially as the year comes to a close, that some people should not be influencers. Perpetuating certain ideas and projecting them on to young minds can have very negative effects on those who see these influencers on social media.

      One of these influencers being referenced is the ever-infamous Andrew Tate. If you somehow have not heard of this man, you are quite lucky.

     Here’s the rundown: Andrew Tate is a kickboxer who has gained notoriety online for being very, very misogynistic. Some examples of Tate’s extremely flawed thinking includes how he allegedly only dates 18 and 19 year olds since it’s “easier to imprint” on them. In one video, Tate described how he’d “deal” with a woman who accused him of cheating: “It’s bang out the machete, boom in her face and grip her by the neck. Shut up, [explicative].” When asked about doing CPR, Tate replied saying that he’d only do CPR for “hot women” because he is not gay.

     This is quite appalling, right?

    What’s even more appalling, however, is the fact that many, many young men are agreeing with and looking up to Tate, who has been dubbed, “the king of toxic masculinity.”

      So, what exactly is toxic masculinity? In the words of writer Taneasha White, toxic masculinity is, “Generally… an adherence to the limiting and potentially dangerous societal standards set for men and masculine-identifying people.” Some common traits of toxic masculinity include mental and physical toughness, aggression, stoicism (not showing emotions), homophobia, sexism, and more.

     Toxic masculinity is the reason why young men are afraid to like traditionally feminine things such as makeup and fashion. It is the reason why many men are pressured into staying silent about their struggles for fear of being perceived as a “sissy.” 

     The mindset is also to blame for many of young men’s mental health issues. According to Patrick Davarhanian, an AP Psychology teacher at a California high school, “Research states that boys who are brought up in an atmosphere of toxic masculinity…often avoid mental health services, resist to preventative health care, engage in heavy drinking, normalize tobacco use and participate in other risky behaviors. It also includes being less likely to seek help and admit vulnerabilities which results in greater incidences of violence and suicide.”

     With statistics like these, it is no wonder that men die at a larger rate than women. In fact, men die from suicide about four times more often than women! Overall, the death rate for men is 1.6 times the death rate for women, according to the Brookings Institution. It does not help that whenever a man tries to open up about his problems, he’s shut down because becoming emotional is seen as “weak” or “unmanly.” 

     Not only does this negatively affect young men’s mental health, but it also reinforces many misogynistic ideas and actions. Let’s go back to the conversation about Andrew Tate, who believes that sexual assault victims should, “bear some responsibility” for what happened to them. Many women are killed every year for rejecting the advances of men, which is the result of major insecurity.

    Do you see the problem here? 

     People only get hurt because of toxic masculinity. If we are to fix this issue, we cannot have internet personalities such as Andrew Tate perpetuating such horrible ideas to such a wide audience.

     So, why don’t we stop making the issue worse and start helping? Tell your male friends that you’re there for them. Tell them they’re safe to cry with you. Assure them that they are not weak for letting themselves be vulnerable or for enjoying things that are typically “girlish.” This could help make such a difference for them.

     So, let’s help make that difference before more people get hurt.