By: Zeinab Muhammad Sowe
Most times we hear the term ‘toxic masculinity’ to sound straight but many do not understand it’s intensity and how it can bring about damages to our social lives.
The term is a root of disaster that is untamed and leads to ultimate dilemma due to it’s normalization.
A good portion of society has made the male gender untouchable and this is where the term ‘toxic masculinity,’ settles for a win for the simple fact that men are seen as ‘dominant,’ and can get away with any form of violence, or abuse.
One thing we do not understand is how we conform to such killer without being fully aware; is it because society has abominated its rejection even with empirical proofs to it’s waywardness? Or is it because the female gender is too weak that it’s existence becomes inferior.
Most of the radical feminist groups emerged as a by-product of such societal negligence, in modern times it’s relativeness has highly reduced but during ancient time it played a pivotal role in making our societies move.
Most countries like, Saudia Arabia still have rigid social norms and all that centers back to the extreme authorization of men as main players since women are not given any form of right to make decisions on their own in any situation they may find themselves in.
Due to this, a good number of young girls try to abscond from Saudi Arabia in order to get a more dependent free life.
Most Saudi women end up renouncing Islam which is a quite a heinous act that warrants a death sentence according to sharia. A good example of this was when an 18year old Saudi girl by the name Rahaf Al Qunun had a narrow escape from the shores of the land because she believed she wanted to be free and lead a more meaningful life to a point of giving up her faith.
Thus, men are being protected with a shield that is unbreakably resistant to criticism of any kind. If not so; why are men not allowed to get emotional even if they are at the peak of it all? Does it mean men have no sentiments whatsoever? Or are they just so perfect that they have become emotionless?
Basically, a good number of women are going through abuses, however, it’s quite unfortunate how many of those women feel threatened to talk about what they go through in homes, offices, streets, schools and even in their matrimony, because of the toxic masculinity concept (a belief that men are always right and can get away with any form of violence or abuse).
To a point, quite a good number of societies believe women should not enjoy, they should suffer, especially in a marriage.
Women suffer, and it has become an abomination to express their plight, or walk away from any abusive situation since men are flawless and should always be respected.
As it is, any man who abuses a woman in any way is weak too. You cannot raise your hand at or put a being who depends on you for protection under any form of physical or mental abuse all in the name of being correctional.
In the book ‘So long a letter,’ one of the themes used is gender stereotyping where as it is believed that only the female child should be dedicated to do all the house chores as well as run errands, we have all been raised with this concept and that is what makes it harder for us to shun it since it has been incepted into us in every single way.
In some less privileged South African Asian Countries like Pakistan the birth of a male child brings about more excitement to the family than the birth of the opposite sex (female child) for the simple fact that a son is
often believed to offer better long-term financial security to parents than daughters do, and this gives rise to exploitative practices, like pregnant mothers who are afraid of giving birth to female children visit sorcerers to ensure that the pregnancy brings forth a male child.
In India for instance, women pay the bride price in a marriage and most of their women who come from families that still follow old marital norms sought grooms so it mostly becomes a no go area for women who come from less privileged families which is why most families in India prefer male children. As it is, widowed Indian women become an abomination in society and are kept in special places that labels them as outcasted; since they are denied of every societal privilege due to their condition.
Like women, men need every support from society be it social, psychological or physical in order to ensure their wellbeing and stable mental condition.
Toxic masculinity is the most divisive ancient societal concept that still plays a part in many of our daily social dealings, it has become so attached to our social lives that it’s eradication is considered greatly impossible.
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