What is Male Masculinity?

We've seen a rise in promoting masculinity, traditional gender roles and right wing politics. What is happening and how can men traverse this?

Men have been going through a lot lately. By "lately," we’re not talking about this past week, month, or even year. Over the last decade or two, everything a man may have believed he should be has been turned on its head several times over.

“Be a man” was a term once offered to males struggling with challenges—whether it was a difficult problem at school, a wound (emotional or physical), or just surviving in life. It was a message that men needed to endure, rise above, and meet challenges head on. The consequence of failing was being considered “less of a man.”

So, men did as they were told. They controlled their emotions, hid their pain, and rose to the occasion when they could. Sometime in the last 20 years or so, the message started to emerge that this was, in fact, unhealthy. Men needed to get in touch with their emotions, be vulnerable, and essentially do a full 180. As perceptions changed about what a man should be, their roles shifted in many other aspects of life, from dating to the professional world.

This led to the “Me Too” movement. There were—and still are—horrific cases that came to light because of it, and it’s good that they did so we could learn from them. This redefined what was acceptable and what wasn’t from men with respect to opposite sex interactions.

We are now coming full circle, with calls for more masculinity. This coincides with a rise in right-wing politics and a dismissal of feminism by some women. The Tate brothers have emerged as evangelicals of the masculinity movement, preaching ways to increase testosterone and how to win at life (while making a good amount of money selling their ideas along the way).

It’s tempting to call these fringe movements. However, with the recent election victory of Donald Trump, who continues to push for traditional values which lends legitimacy to it. This makes it hard to label them as a fringe movement. More and more people seem to be embracing this ideal. So, what does this mean for men?

Be who you want to be.

Every man has to figure this out for himself—whether that means embracing the previous version of masculinity or the new, emerging one. It’s up to you. However, this article will focus more on men who have felt caged, cowed, and stifled in recent years—those who want to embrace this renewed acceptance.

At the beginning of this article, some traits were mentioned that “be a man” implied. None of these traits are bad on their own. Embracing challenges, rising above, and controlling your emotions can all be positive. Taking it further, being a protector, a provider, and striving for greatness are also valuable. But how can we embrace these without the downsides that come with them?

Introspection is key. The negative aspects of these motivations—such as struggling with failure, suppressing emotions, or not being as great as you’d like—need attention. We know a lot more about these issues now than we did back then. There are many techniques to mitigate them; find what works for you. We cannot fall back into old patterns where failure might lead to taking frustrations out on others.

This brings up the next point: today’s masculinity must be a shining beacon of good. Protect the weak and vulnerable. Stand up for what is right. This can be done every day—volunteer or help someone in need. There is nothing more traditionally heroic than helping another person.

This also means controlling your vices. Identify the root causes of your vices and address them. Things like casual sex, pornography, drugs, and alcohol can elicit illusions of greatness, but they are, in fact, the opposite.

Being physically strong can translate into mental strength. The Tate brothers have this part right, at least. Working out is essential, especially if you’re not naturally active in your job or hobbies. You cannot be mentally strong if you’re overweight and unhealthy, sitting at a computer all day.

So, if we want a place for more traditional masculinity in today’s world—and if we want this movement to continue and thrive—we need to be cognizant of what we’re doing and why. We shouldn’t embrace this just to be dominant and in charge again; we should do it to be better and to make our world better.