Students' Perception of Toxic Masculinity and Its Effects on Society
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Journal of Seybold Report ISSN NO: 1533-9211 Students’ Perception of Toxic Masculinity and its Effects aBhuvaneswari R, bDaiyaan Ahmed,cUmamaheswari S*dNarendiran S, eP .Poomathi aAssistant Professor(Sr), School of Social Sciences and Languages, Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India – 600127. Mobile -9840427532, E-mail:[email protected] bStudent, SCOPE, Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai,Tamilnadu, India – 600127. Mobile –9840309115, E-mail: [email protected] cAssistant Professor, Division of Mathematics, SAS, Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India – 600127. Mobile -9094779115, E-mail: [email protected] dResearch Scholar, School of Social Sciences and Languages, Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India – 600127. Mobile -9597772416,E-mail: [email protected] eAssistant Professor, Department of EFL, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India – 600026. Mobile -8637647876,E-mail: [email protected] VOLUME 15 ISSUE 9 2020 Page: 2819 Journal of Seybold Report ISSN NO: 1533-9211 Students’ Perception of Toxic Masculinity and its Effects Abstract: Background:Traditionally, in society, masculinity has always been associated with good judgment, leadership, and reliability; a soldier protecting his country from war, a man sustaining his household by working hours to feed his family, has formed the mainframe for masculine behaviour. Over time this traditional concept has been misinterpreted as being aggressive, bold, and fearless. The over-exaggeration of ‘traditionally masculine traits’ gives rise to a toxic patriarchal system causing imbalances of power and opportunities between men and women. Methods:The study is an analysis of students' perception of toxic masculinity and its effects on society. The survey was conducted among undergraduate engineering studentsin Chennai through an online questionnaire. Results and Discussion:Toxic Masculinity is a chain of behavioural traits that propel patriarchy and it has existed for years without being detected or labelled as destructive. It has been only in recent years, with the peak of feminism and the gender equality/empowerment movement, patriarchal oppression over the rest of the powerless has come to light. However, the research established that awareness about the concept of toxic masculinity has been slow and not widespread. Conclusion:Since being characterised as a significant hurdle to overcome, which could bring feminism to its actual fruition, the concept of toxic masculinity has gained consideration. There are active efforts to familiarise the idea with society and de-throttle its impact. This paper analyses the common perception among young adults on toxic masculinity. It compares opinion with facts and points out the conflicts existing within the common understanding. KEYWORDS: Feminism, LGBTQ+, Patriarchy, Society, Sexism, Toxic Masculinity. Introduction: rigid conceptions of sexual/gender identity and roles, heteronormativity (belief in the naturalness and Gender equality and resistance of gender superiority of heterosexuality and cis-genderness), binary have been a significant scholarly discussion in entitlement to (sexual) attention from women, the field of gender and sexuality. The concept of (sexual) objectification of women, and the hegemonic masculinity and male dominance (over infantilization of women (treating women as the rest of the genders, which are instead considered immature and lacking awareness or agency and stereotypically as 'feminine,' and other men who desiring meekness and “youthful” appearance). This belong to minority groups) often comes into a serious list is not meant to be exhaustive, and not every focus in gender studies. The definitive statement—of instance of toxic masculinity would need to (or likely masculinity holding the upper hand against women, could) contain all of these elements, but when people men of oppressed groups, children, in a broader view, talk about toxic masculinity, this is typically what environment and society—gives birth to the concept they mean.”1 of toxic masculinity, the prime focus of the study. A In broader terms, toxic masculinity can be more comprehensive view of the definition has been partitioned into two sections: discussed by Bryant W. Sculos (2017) in 'Who's afraid of Toxic Masculinity?' He explains, i) The practice of exaggerated and glorified ‘traditional’ masculine behaviours “Norms, beliefs, and behaviours often associated (such as the association of masculinity with with toxic masculinity include: hyper- aggressiveness, violence, sexual domination competitiveness, individualistic self-sufficiency (over women), power and emotional (often to the point of isolation nowadays, but still and toughness). more commonly in the pre Internet days, in a ii) Men have an almost disgusted view of parochial patriarchal sense of the male role as traditionally feminine traits (specifically in breadwinner and autocrat of the family), a tendency terms of emotional expression). towards or glorification of violence (real or digital, directed at people or any living or non-living things), While the latter of the two sections could be chauvinism (paternalism towards women), sexism considered an effect of the former, its impact has (male superiority), misogyny (hatred of women), been enormously widespread and had a destructive VOLUME 15 ISSUE 9 2020 Page: 2820 Journal of Seybold Report ISSN NO: 1533-9211 effect on both men and women. It had to be gender differently and the data is analysed, categorized distinctively. When (toxic) masculine taking into consideration the gender behaviour is normalized and encouraged in men, it specified. automatically cultivates a negative opinion on • A question on the effect of toxic masculinity femininity and forces men to dislodge any feminine on the LGBTQ+ community is framed to qualities that they might embody to adhere to the assess heteronormativity. 'masculine' social construct, thereby, perceiving • The last question of the survey is subjective 2 women or feminine qualities as weak or frail. in an attempt to test hegemony ironically Toxic Masculinity is not assumed to be against the concept presented. performed by a majority of men; only a minority of men may enact it. However, its ideology is quickly Results & Discussion: propagated, among others, when subjected to. It establishes the traditional way of being a man, 1. To which gender do you identify? requires all other men to act in correspondence, and eventually produces a misogyny notion. Contrary to The results have been discussed concerning male popular belief, men are not the sole perpetrators of perception (56%) and female perception (44%) to toxic masculinity; women also have a minor role in offer more in-depth insight. encouraging this behaviour. Women are profoundly attracted to men who embody such qualities without 2. What is your age group? realizing that they are toxic, owing to centuries of social constructs of hegemony and innate biological The majority of the survey respondents are teenagers traits. Later, such women end up falling in a toxic ranging from ages 16-18 (80%) and 19-23 (19%) as relationship and worse because they never realise the the study is mostly taken up by university students. intensity of the toxicity but begin to adapt it. This The age range is predominantly young and it helps to further forces men from an early age (especially ensure to gather data from youth who makeup 50% of teenage) to pursuit traditionally masculine India and possess the ability to infer and also set to characteristics to gain romantic and sexual affection.3 change the future. “Hegemonic masculinity,… involves a 3. According to you, which is the worst specific strategy for the subordination of women. … aspect of toxic masculinity? It is exclusive, anxiety-provoking, internally and hierarchically differentiated, brutal and violent. It is Exaggerated pseudo-natural, tough, contradictory, crisis-prone, masculine traits rich and socially sustained … Fragile it may be, but it such as constructs the most dangerous things we live with. violent, sexually Resilient, it incorporates its critiques, but it is, aggressive, and so nonetheless, ‘unraveling’.”4 forth Men having a 37% 27% disgusted view of Methods: the feminine and 36% who look down • An online survey is adapted to validate the upon women study. (subtle or harsh) • The survey is made to reach mainly young Men shamed for expressing adults in Chennai,Tamilnadu, India. emotions such as • Questions, objective and subjective, of fear, anxiety and various types, were framed ranging from - sadness numbered response on a scale, to text/paragraph responses. Figure 1: The worst aspect of toxic masculinity • A set of 8 questions are carefully drafted to assess the existing perception of toxic masculinity and its impact. • The age of the respondents is recorded to Men: analyse their perception concerning their stage in life. Men who answered this question predominantly • Participants are asked to specify their gender chose “Men are shamed for expressing emotions such since the implied concept affects each as fear, anxiety and sadness” as their perceived worst VOLUME 15 ISSUE 9 2020 Page: 2821 Journal of Seybold Report ISSN NO: 1533-9211 aspect of toxic masculinity. This also demonstrates that toxic masculinity harms men's behavior, which can affect their mental health.5 32% 45% Women: Men Women Women who answered this question primarily chose 23% "Men having a disgusting