Racism and masculinity: The hidden causes of Black men’s health issues

Credit: Jonathan Knowles via Getty Images “Man up.” “Boys don’t cry.” “Be a real man.” When you’re a Black man in America these phrases aren’t just burdened by the weight of traditional gender expectations. They’re full of centuries of racial trauma and oppression.  Stay in the know. Sign up for our newsletter!Get your daily dose of community news, info, events, exclusive deals and more! And the stats tell the story. Black men are dying younger and getting sicker earlier than their white peers, especially from preventable conditions like heart disease and cancer. But while some may blame toxic masculinity, experts say the real villain is hiding in plain sight: racism.  “I know many people see masculinity and manhood as the biggest barrier to Black men’s physical and mental health,” says Derek Griffith, a health equity professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. “But I really see the biggest harm to Black men’s mental health is not these ideals of masculinity but the chronic stressors they experience because of structural racism.”  @media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 320px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 90px;}} The way Black men experience the effects of racism is more of...