Redefining Masculinity: Toxic Masculinity Is Being Challenged Globally Not Just By Women

Masculinity has too often been narrowly characterized as poisonous and misogynist, and most men seen as patriarchal MAGA-heads. The rest of us, apparently, just stood by mute, unwilling to challenge the bigots and bullies. That’s a lie. All men—including “white dudes”—have been taking back the narrative.While it’s refreshing to hear the Democrats’ vice-presidential nominee, Gov. Walz, and second gentlemen, Mr. Emhoff, cited as models of this “new” masculinity, it’s far from new. Men have been successfully crafting strategies to break out of the man box since the mid-1970s.Nearly everyone is aware of the bad news about “toxic” masculinity—from men like Andrew Tate to groups like the Proud Boys. Few, though, know the good news: men’s efforts to redefine manhood.Time for a little history.For 50 years, a growing number of men of all races and ethnicities in North America and around the world have followed women in working to prevent domestic and sexual violence and protect reproductive rights, while also working to redefine and transform traditional ideas about manhood, fatherhood, and brotherhood.The antisexist men’s movement incorporates a range of men and men’s experiences: from boys on the journey to manhood and fathering/mentoring to male survivors and men of color; from GBTQI+...