Why Toxic Masculinity Is Hurting Black Men

Story by Braylon Wims  Photo from Toxic Masculinity - Chrysalis Foundation (chrysalisfdn.org) 

The problem is toxic masculinity which is, “the act of a male presenting toxic behaviors to others.” It is very damaging to everyone in the situation. It is still prominent in households, families, and even in society. Today men account for 80% of arrests for violent crime, 98.9% of arrests for forcible rape, 97% of all mass shootings, and a 3.5x higher suicide rate than women. This all stems from toxic masculinity. 

My solution to this problem is to make the authoritative parenting style a norm so that parents provide their children with a space where they feel more comfortable with being who they really are, loved by their parents, and don’t feel the need to try and live up to society's standards of what they think every man should typically be like. I know this will work because when you take out stereotypes and environments where people feel they need to be accepted, then toxic masculinity won’t be an issue in communities. 

I believe that with this new style of parenting, the suicide rate will decrease, and men would open up more about their problems. If these statistics go down, I believe we will have more happy, healthy, and open family relationships, friendships, as well as an easier  time communicating our emotions. 

Fathers and young men can eliminate past behaviors, so that they can raise their kids to be just who they are, without pushing these stereotypes that make their sons feel like outcasts. If the authoritative style of parenting isn’t implemented, then I believe kids will continue to grow up feeling like they don’t belong, or that they aren’t good enough causing the suicide rate to jump, and the cycle of toxic masculinity in men to pass on to future generations-a cycle that will never end.

If you guys want to solve this issue, talk to your parents, and understand that you aren’t alone. And tell your parents that they need to do better as parents.

 Braylon Wims is a junior at Friendship Collegiate Academy.