A man who is truly masculine embraces responsibility and loves, honours, protects and provides for his family and loved ones. He lives with integrity, motivated by conviction, not comfort or convenience. True masculinity is not determined by how much physical strength a man has but rather the strength of his character.
Traits traditionally viewed as masculine in Western society include strength, courage, independence, leadership, and assertiveness.
Healthy or positive masculinity is the idea that men can be emotionally expressive, have female friends or mentors, and express their emotions without feeling emasculated.
The 3 P's of Manhood: A Review of Protection, Procreation, and Provision | The Art of Manliness.
Toxic masculinity praises men for having multiple sexual partners while expressing disgust at women who do the same. Refusing to help with household duties. Toxic masculinity rejects roles traditionally considered “women's work.” Toxically masculine men often refuse to participate in these household duties.
Toxic femininity refers to the adherence to the gender binary in order to receive conditional value in patriarchal societies. It is a concept that restricts women to being cooperative, passive, sexually submissive, gentle, and deriving their value from physical beauty while being pleasing to men.
There are four basic rules of manhood: no sissy stuff—there must be a relentless repudiation of femininity; be a big wheel—bring home the bacon; be a sturdy oak—be reliable in a crisis; give 'em hell—take risks and do what has to be done.
The particular normative form of masculinity that is the most honoured way of being a man, which requires all other men to position themselves in relation to it, is known as hegemonic masculinity.
Healthy masculinity is when men flourish first for themselves, then for their families, posterity, and communities. A man embodying healthy masculinity knows who he is. He is physically healthy and strong. He is pursuing and developing his skills and capabilities to make him more competent and able to take action.
Traditional masculinity is characterized by instrumental personality traits such as aggression, self-affirmation, social dominance, and lack of consideration for others [18,19,20,21], and these traits are internalized in childhood and adolescence.
Traits like integrity, authenticity, and how he cares for himself and those around him are integral to how a man perceives his own masculinity today — versus physical strength, power, and affluence that prior generations may have prioritized.”
Masculinity, which refers to traits which are stereotypically attributed to men, is typified by the image of a strong, technically competent, ambitious, self-sufficient and authoritative leader who can maintain control of his emotions (Connell, 1987; Hofstede, 2001).
Fragile masculinity refers to anxiety felt by men who believe they are falling short of cultural standards of manhood. • Fragile masculinity can motivate compensatory attitudes/behaviors meant to restore the threatened status of 'real' manhood.
Yet, the qualities that masculine women possess—confidence, assertiveness, independence, and daring—are not scientifically or biologically male attributes. Rather, these qualities are constructed as being masculine even though they are commonly found in women.
It has roots in the archaic traditional masculine values such as physical strength in order to conquer through dominance. Toxic masculinity glorifies unhealthy habits. In patriarchal societies, boys' socialization often normalizes violence, as in the phrase "boys will be boys" when it comes to bullying and aggression.
Toxic men tend to reward women for what they deem as “good behavior” with the affection the woman craves, filling her brain with dopamine (a neurotransmitter that releases feel-good hormones).
One word that is synonymous with the fight between gender roles and toxic masculinity is toxic femininity. Experts describe toxic femininity as a term used to refer to gender-specific expectations for women that are supposed to keep them quiet, subservient, and submissive amid male aggression and domination.
Hyperfemininity is the exaggeration of stereotyped behavior that's believed to be feminine. Hyperfeminine folks exaggerate the qualities they believe to be feminine. This may include being passive, naive, sexually inexperienced, soft, flirtatious, graceful, nurturing, and accepting.
Depression, anxiety, substance use issues, and mental health problems may be viewed as weaknesses. Toxic masculinity may also stress that it's inappropriate for men to talk about their feelings. Avoiding conversations about problems or emotions may increase feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Scholars have suggested that there are three distinct characteristics associated with the hypermasculine personality: (1) the view of violence as manly, (2) the perception of danger as exciting and sensational, and (3) callous behavior toward women and a regard toward emotional displays as feminine.
These include dominance, control, insensitivity and aggression. Toxic men display destructive behaviors. They think they must be the dominant part and not show any feelings. Only then are they true men in their eyes.