Anti-Racism II

CU Boulder

Week 1 Historical Constructions of Race and Racism
Discussion Prompt #3: Toxic Masculinity in Your Community

[Toxic Masculinity in Your Community Reflect on the ways that toxic/hypermasculinity creates societal problems in your town, city, country, school, etc. Pick one location and discuss.]

Week 1 Discussion Prompt #3: Toxic Masculinity in Your Community

As an older retired person, I haven’t observed much in the way of toxic masculinity directly, though I resonate with the material I’ve reviewed thus far in this course. However, when in junior high and high school many years ago, bullying was often used to ‘encourage’ guys to comply with masculine expectations of what being a strong and dominant male personality should be. Levels of Power were established by the resulting pecking order of young males: the jocks, the wannabes, the geeks, the band kids, the smokers, the ‘re-tards.’ In my experience, it was the sports-playing extrovert—to my mind often undisciplined, loud and obnoxious—who was found acceptable in the halls, on the field of sport, and out about town. And this included, unfortunately in my view, a significant number of young women who bought into that poison. Incredulity and Jealousy much?

I admit my perspective may be biased and exceptionally skewed, but I hated the bullying with a passion and still do. I was hurt by it and bear the scars still. I can see readily how some many people were—and are—attracted to Mr Trump and his minions of sycophantic charlatans and scoundrels. That’s what’s happening, isn’t it? This continuing poison?