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toxic masculinity

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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Coined by psychologist Shepherd Bliss of the mythopoetic men's movement around 1986[1] and first attested in 1990 (see quote below). Compare hegemonic masculinity, which was coined in 1982.[1]

Noun

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toxic masculinity (uncountable)

  1. (social sciences, media criticism) The aspects of traditional masculinity perceived to reinforce aggression, emotionlessness and other negative qualities.
    • 1990 January 18, Shepherd Bliss, “Letters (Gay Supportive)”, in Bay Area Reporter‎[2], volume XX, number 3, San Fransisco: Benro Enterprises, page 8:
      For example, I speak of toxic masculinity as that which damages men, women, children and the earth through neglect, abuse and violence.
    • 2005, Eli Sagan, Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender & and Culture‎[3], Wadsworth, →ISBN, page 302:
      In addition, many male feminists seek to rid themselves of what they regard as toxic masculinity promoted in men by socialization and to develop in themselves sensitivities and tenderness more typically socialized into women.
    • 2016 June 27, Stephen T. Asma, “The weaponised loser”, in Aeon‎[4]:
      The facts of toxic masculinity are rarely discussed after mass shootings, as we beat the usual drums of gun control and mental health.

Coordinate terms

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Translations

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Soraya Roberts (2019 January 25) “The Classroom Origins of Toxic Masculinity”, in Long Reads‎[1], WordPress, archived from the original on 2019-01-26: “[Daniel] Gross credited Shepherd Bliss […] with coining toxic masculinity as a phrase […] Bliss couldn’t recall exactly when or where he first uttered “toxic masculinity,” but claims it was around the time he named his men’s group. That would have been in 1986, […]”

Further reading

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