Over the years, “masculinity” has become a magnet for disapproval. Yup. At any chance, no matter how contrived or obscure, grab the nearest stick, and smack it over the head. “Privileged”, “fragile”, “oppressive”, “violent”, pick your favorite word (as long as it’s bad) and suffix it to masculinity, and let the mob do its work. And of course, there’s “toxic” “Toxic masculinity” is the guest at the party, that nobody invited, and who refuses to leave. A tiresome, stubborn tenant, who simply will not go away. Amongst its many obvious flaws, at its centre, is a level of hypocrisy that needs to be addressed. Because, a cursory Google search will tell you that “toxic masculinity” is the expectations for a man to be strong, powerful, dominant, aggressive, emotionless, and disposable. It is, to be the muscle-bound hero, all the time, everywhere, for everyone, and without fail. The opposite ‘gendered expectations’, that are so often foisted onto women are, naturally, inverted – to be the damsel, to be meek and mild, angelic, innocent, beautiful, and pure. But somehow, unlike the expectations we project onto men, we don’t name these as “toxically feminine”. No, we call these expectations ‘misogyny’, and when they’re inhibited by women, it’s ‘internalized misogyny’. And there it is, the double standard. We blame men themselves, for society’s harmful gendered expectations and attitudes, but for women, we recognise them as rightful victims. Why is that? And is this not a double standard? What do you think?

2026-01-23