Female athletes of all ages face the obstacles instilled by toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity is rooted in the norms and stereotypes applied to young men. Boys being told to suppress their emotions and assert their masculinity from a young age is often channeled through dominance or power. Some relatable examples include telling young men to “man up” or telling girls that “boys will be boys.” Winning becomes the primary goal as competitive nature is part of the stereotypical boy. Critiques of how boys play or act can feel like a threat to their manhood, and they feel the need to be defensive, often coming off as aggressive because they don’t know how to deal with their emotions.
The miseducation occurring in our patriarchal society creates a scary reality. Parents and coaches are responsible for respecting and empathizing with young men. Boys are prone to develop misogynistic thoughts that later perpetuate toxic masculinity. I recommend reading the book “You Throw Like a Girl: The Blind Spot of Masculinity” by Don McPherson. The book analyses how masculinity adversely affects women. My reading helped me understand that toxic masculinity is a collection or manifestation of the harmful stereotypes men are conditioned to believe are manly. The patriarchal societal norms impact every aspect of a woman’s life; our jobs, sports, opportunities, and societal representation.
As a woman, I can empathize with the sad reality that we are no strangers to sexual abuse or harassment. Women on and off the field are subject to higher rates of mistreatment. The statistic has been the same for almost a decade; roughly 1 in 3 women will be subject to sexual violence between 18 and 24. We are especially vulnerable in our teenage and college years, and I can attest from personal experience. We must create safe spaces for women and create barriers for abusers. This issue is pervasive in society, and female athletes are mounting face pressure. Female athletes cannot simply succeed their way out of being marginalized.
Young male athletes are conditioned to believe physical power allows them to regain control of their manhood. Some tools for young men to differentiate between healthy and toxic masculinity include vulnerability, respect, dignity, and empathy. Combatting toxic masculinity means reforming sports culture and societal norms—using proactive steps to create safe spaces for women and places to report inappropriate behavior. I see the need to establish a contemporary version of manhood without the sexual locker room talk plaguing women’s confidence. Locker room talk may seem harmless, but it perpetuates harmful discrimination against women. The narrative has an evident problem: women feel pressured to play with the boys to be taken seriously. I hope this blog creates awareness and provides helpful insight on how to do better for and with women.