Study Reveals The Long-Term Effect Of Toxic Masculinity

Trending News: Study Of Older Men Reveals That Masculinity Actually Can Be Toxic

Why Is This Important?

Because men must have a heart and learn to show it -' growing up, and into old age — for the sake of their loved ones and themselves

Long Story Short

A newly published review of scientific literature concludes senior men who learned that being a man meant no tears, no dependence and no vulnerability, have tremendous difficulty when confronted by the many intensely stressful challenges inherent in old age.

Long Story

Can you reprogram a man? That’s become the rather essential question as older men cling to outdated and unhelpful coping models.

Old age bombards older men with often humanly insurmountable challenges, including personal health problems, the loss of spouses, retirement, and sudden new roles as caregivers to aging family members.

Kaitlyn Barnes Langendoerfer, a doctoral student in sociology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, reviewed the literature, only to conclude older men, steeped in tough, gruff male stereotypes, are unequipped to cope with the stresses of old age that keep closing in around them.

“Who you are is embedded in you,” she says. “Men have trouble dealing with older age because they’ve followed a masculinity script that left little room to negotiate unavoidable problems.”

She explains that script with the help of four dimensions elaborated in 1976 by behavioral psychologist Robert Brannon in his book, The Forty-Nine Percent Majority. There was to be “No Sissy Stuff”, such as openness, vulnerability or displays of stereotyped feminine characteristics or qualities. Men strove to be “The Big Wheel”, always showing success, prestige and status. They had to be “The Sturdy Oak”, projecting an air of toughness, confidence and self-reliance. Finally, Brannon said the male approach to life was “Give ‘Em Hell!”, by displaying aggression, violence and daring.

Modern masculinity remains a complicated issue. It wasn’t perfect then, and many argue it’s not perfect now.

Three years ago, British MP Diane Abbott warned of a “masculinity crisis” and the emergence of what she called “a Viagra and Jack Daniels culture." This current era of hyper-masculinity includes the extreme objectification of women and the pornification of our culture. Abbott urged more action on the part of schools and parents to help boys see a less narrow view of masculinity.

Psychologists Hector Torres, Ramel L. Smith and William Seymour also believe the current definition of masculinity is very limited and they’re seeking to expand the notion of maleness.

They argue being raised within a definition of masculinity that emphasizes toughness, stoicism, acquisitiveness and self-reliance leads to aggressive, emotionally stunted males who harm not just themselves but their children, partners and entire communities.

Hiding tears as a matter of shame and refusing help as a matter of pride won’t cut it as older men slip into old age.

Langendoerfer and her co-author, who examined nearly 100 studies of mainly white middle-class men for their research, points out, “We’re all aging; it’s a fact of life. But as men age, they’re unable to be who they were, and that creates a dissonance that is hard to reconcile.

“We need to better understand how older men adapt to their stressors – high suicide rates, emotions they stifle, avoiding the doctor – to hopefully help them build better lives in older age,” she says.

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

Can we still change the culture of masculinity, or is it too late for anyone alive today?

Disrupt Your Feed

If you’re a guy with a heart and aren’t afraid to show it, make some noise so boys can find you and learn how to grow up right and well-rounded.

Drop This Fact

The UN says, globally, the number of people aged 80 years or over, the “oldest old” persons, is growing even faster than the number of older persons overall. Projections indicate that by 2050, the number of “oldest-old “ people will more than triple from 2015, to 434 million.