Justice

#MasculinitySoFragile Is Combating Gender Stereotypes

September 23rd 2015

The hashtag #MasculinitySoFragile took off on social media this week to expose the issue of toxic masculinity in society.

As many have noted, the hashtag isn't mean to shame men who would describe themselves as masculine. It is intended to give people an opportunity to highlight the consequences of certain societal expectations placed on masculinity. #MasculinitySoFragile challenges the idea that men aren't supposed to cry, show emotion, and/or engage in behavior that might be considered "feminine." (Last week ATTN: wrote about why it can be harmful to use the phrase "man up.")

And the hashtag challenges even more. As MTV puts it, #MasculinitySoFragile tweets challenge "everything from street harassment to the absurdity of gendered products like 'men’s deodorant' ... Together, they show the world that toxic masculinity isn’t just harmful—it’s also f–king ridiculous." Some of the negative reactions to #MasculinitySoFragile seem to confirm the hashtag's need to exist—as many men were bothered by its existence.

Here are some #MasculinitySoFragile tweets worth highlighting:

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