What is toxic masculinity?
Life’s challenges can be overwhelming; everyone deserves a space to feel heard and supported. At Roamers Therapy, we provide trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, LGBTQIA+ affirming, and evidence-based environments to help you heal, grow, and navigate your mental well-being journey. As your psychotherapist, we are here to guide you every step of the way.
Toxic masculinity involves the cultural norms and expectations which pressure men and boys to behave in certain ways. While masculinity is not inherently problematic, toxic masculinity refers to the belief that masculinity or “manliness” need to be associated with anger, aggression, and dominance. Examples of toxic masculinity include emotional insensitivity, promiscuity, heterosexism and homophobia, sexual aggression, sexism and misogyny, and violence. Many people have theorized that toxic masculinity is derived from male fragility, or the anxiety men experience if they do not feel they are measuring up to the cultural expectations of men. In turn, they act out in ways that are toxic to society and themselves.
What are the effects of toxic masculinity?
While masculinity is not inherently problematic, when masculinity is performed in unhealthy and problematic ways, it can have detrimental effects on others and the men themselves. Because it is socially unacceptable for men to experience and display any emotion except for anger, men often disproportionately perpetuators of violent crimes such as sexual assault, battery, and homicide. Moreover, men are more likely to die by suicide, and research has associated these outcomes with traditional masculine gender norms. Toxic masculinity and male fragility affect everyone, not just the men who behave in such ways.
Find the Best Therapist in Chicago to Combat Toxic Masculinity
Toxic masculinity has become so ingrained in society that it may be difficult to recognize, let alone change. Some things you can do to combat toxic masculinity is to reevaluate what it means to be a man and whether you must be masculine to be a man. Second, learn to be vulnerable and allow yourself to experience the emotions you feel. Third, educate other men who are behaving in problematic and harmful ways. This could mean stepping in when you see men being aggressive or encouraging and normalizing men seeking therapy. Seeking therapy yourself, can be an outlet to practice all of these guidelines and redefine what it means to be a man to you.
At Roamers Therapy, our psychotherapists are here to support you through anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship issues, race-ethnicity issues, LGBTQIA+ issues, ADHD, Autism, or any challenges you encounter. Our psychotherapists are trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance, and Commitment Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, and Gottman Therapy.
Whether you’re seeking guidance on a specific issue or need help navigating difficult emotions, we’re ready to assist you every step of the way.
Contact us today to learn more about our services and schedule a session with our mental health professionals to begin your healing journey. To get started with therapy, visit our booking page.
First, decide if you’ll be paying out-of-pocket or using insurance. If you’re a self-pay client, you can book directly through the “Book Now” page or fill out the “Self-Pay/Out-of-network Inquiry Form.” If you’re using insurance, fill out the “Insurance Verification Form” to receive details about your costs and availability. Please let us know your preferred therapist. If your preferred therapist isn’t available, you can join the waitlist by emailing us. Once your appointment is confirmed, you’ll receive intake documents to complete before your first session.
This page is also part of the Roamers Therapy Glossary; a collection of mental-health related definitions that are written by our therapists.
While our offices are currently located at the South Loop neighborhood of Downtown Chicago, Illinois, we also welcome and serve clients for online therapy from anywhere in Illinois and Washington, D.C. Clients from the Chicagoland area may choose in-office or online therapy and usually commute from surrounding areas such as River North, West Loop, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View, Rogers Park, Logan Square, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Little Village, Bronzeville, South Shore, Hyde Park, Back of the Yards, Wicker Park, Bucktown and many more. You can visit our contact page to access detailed information on our office location.