“Don’t cry, be a man”, “mard ko dard nahi hota”, “boys will be boys”.. While these statements are so common that most men may have been told this, these are also some of the examples of ‘toxic masculinity’. Toxic masculinity is a type of masculinity which preaches certain traits and attributes men must possess to be called “real men”.
Aawaz, a social media initiative by the Rotaract Club of Atlas Skilltech University is delving deep to understand various issues in society by getting experts from organizations dealing with different issues to share their unfiltered views and opinions on the same.
For the month of October, the topic was “Toxic Masculinity,” which is a social issue involving a set of attitudes and ways of behaving stereotypically associated with or expected of men, regarded as harming men and society as a whole.
In the discussion, they introduced toxic masculinity as an upcoming social issue, its severity, how it’s more common than we think, and possible solutions for the matter.
What is Toxic Masculinity?
Before getting more insight on toxic masculinity, one must know that masculinity in itself is a social construct. It encompasses attributes, traits, and roles that are only associated with boys and men.
As propagated by social norms, masculinity is defined by how tough a man is, his emotional unavailability, and his supremacy. Today, those same men call themselves the ‘Alpha Male’. At the same end, phrases such as “men don’t cry” or “YOU are the MAN” can not only affect mental health but also takes away the one thing which makes you human.
Such sensitive topics have to be covered at great lengths with a principled understanding of what is right and what is human, which RC ATLAS was successful in achieving through various interviews and research.
About MAVA
Interview conducted by RC Atlas with Mr. Harish Sadani, Co-founder & Executive Director at Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA)
“MAVA is India’s first organization of sensitive concerned men working to stop and prevent gender-based violence on women.”- Mr. Harish Sadani of MAVA (Men against violence and abuse).
Mr. Sadani was interviewed in RC ATLAS’s latest YouTube video posted on the official RC ATLAS page in which he tore open the ideologies, evident reasons that bring about toxic masculinity, and how to overcome.
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Perception of Toxic Masculinity
This topic is highly appraised on social media platforms, especially when voiced by active feminists.
Often misogyny and toxic masculinity are paralleled together when talks about change and solutions come up. During their impactful exchange of words with Mr. Harish Sadani, they came across a quote that would help this world become a much better and safer space for our future.
“Stop trying to be someone you are not.” One should not follow what everyone does but shall find themselves in what one does.
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What’s Coming Next in Store for Aawaz
With these perspectives, the first episode of Aawaz came to a conclusion: speaking the unspoken.
With jam-packed ideas and spectacular perspectives of a new world, the initiative is knocking at the door of what is needed for the world to know and to have the gratitude, and the desire to be the change we all want to see.
You can tune to RC Atlas’s YouTube channel and social media pages for the second episode of Aawaz for November is coming sooner than you expect.
Suggestions
If you have any suggestions for any social problem that you’d like to see get coverage in the next episode of Aawaz please send your ideas at rtr.jheelmehta@gmail.com or you can also share your ideas with ShikshaNews at shikshanews18ATgmail.com.
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[Article Written by: Rtr. Achishmita Choudharry and Rtr. Alecca Henriques | Edited by: Shikshanews Team]
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