CheckPoint 411 is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising revenues by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
Table of Contents:
Masculinity. It's a tricky thing to define. In its simplest form, masculinity is the set of traits and behaviors associated with men. But if you really think about it, what does that mean? Is being a man just having certain biological characteristics? Or is it more about how we express our gender outwardly? Perhaps there are two types of masculinity—one that's fragile and one that's toxic. In this article, we'll explore fragile masculinity on all levels and ways to easily identify the behaviors and also change them.
What is Masculinity?
Masculinity is a slippery, amorphous term. The definition has changed over time, and it depends on who you ask. In the United States, masculinity has historically been tied with manhood and physical strength—but even then things are more complicated than that. According to one old-timey definition of masculinity in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: "A manly or virile quality as exemplified in a man's character or behavior."
You know what else is complicated? Human nature! But we'll get into that later on when we talk about fragile masculinity at length—for now let's just stick with the basics.
Masculinity involves traits such as strength and independence, but also includes aggression and power; these things are often associated with men because they're seen as traditional qualities required for survival in a world where men were expected to provide for their families rather than receive support from them (or from anyone else). So even though many modern societies no longer expect men to hunt or fish for food every day of their lives (and many other societies don't operate like this at all), certain cultural norms have persisted around how men should behave based on those outdated expectations.
Fragile Masculinity vs Toxic Masculinity
Fragile masculinity is a term that has become popular in recent years to describe a man who is on the defensive about his masculinity, whether he's aware of it or not. This usually manifests itself as defensiveness about anything from insults to perceived threats to jokes. Fragile masculinity can also be seen in men who display an outward aggression towards others they perceive as threatening them (such as women) and their manhood.
Toxic masculinity is similar, but carries more negative connotations than fragile masculinity does; toxic masculinity refers to a set of behaviors that are harmful towards women or other men perceived as weaker than you are by projecting strength onto yourself—which can be achieved through acts like insulting another man or making fun of him for being "weak." Toxic masculinity in many ways implies that your "manhood" defines your self-worth as well; for instance, if you're insulted by a girl because she doesn't want to have sex with you after one date, this is a tell-tell sign.
Examples of Fragile Masculinity
Fragile masculinity is a term used to describe the pressure men feel to perform traditional masculine gender roles. Fragile masculinity can affect men's mental health, physical health, and relationships with others. The term "fragile masculinity" was coined in the 1990s.
Examples of fragile masculinity include:
It's actually quite easy to fix fragile masculinity.
Recap
You've learned that fragile masculinity is a common issue in our society, but how can you tell if you or someone you love is suffering from it?
It's important not to make assumptions about whether or not your partner has fragile masculinity—it is more valuable to pay attention to the behaviors and beliefs your partner displays in order to determine their condition. If there are signs of fragility in your relationship, take note of them now so that you can address them early on.
The most common indicators of fragile masculinity are:
Conclusion
Fragile masculinity is a real issue that needs to be addressed. It's not just for men, but also women, who can be just as affected by it. It's important to remember that everyone has their own journey through life and no one should judge someone else's experience or speak over them. The best thing we can do as a society is try to understand each other better instead of shutting down conversations because they make us uncomfortable - which will only make things worse! Good luck…
*Affiliate links may be included – if you click on affiliate links and sign up for the products and services trusted and recommended by Huddle Box, we will earn a commission.