Toxic masculinity: Negetive impact of gender stereotype By Abdullahi Hafsoh Togun

Gender stereotype is a cultural and traditional belief or expectations about what it means to be a male or female, According to what most of the people believe in, women should be submissive, nurturing, and emotional and men should be strong, be less emotional, show less vulnerability and primarily be a breadwinner.

Toxic masculinity is the negetive behaviors and attitude associated with traditional views of masculinity, such as the belief that men should be tough, show no emotion, be strong no matter what, be assertive, be independence and never ask for help. That is cultural belief of the people.

It is important to dismantle people’s belief on gender stereotype, specifically what men must do because they are born as a result of X and Y chromosome or because they can not put to bed.

Gender stereotype on what men must do or qualities they must possess as cultural belief can have harmful consequences for both men and women, including violence, harassment and unhealthy relationship. And it can also lead to men feeling pressure to hide their emotions, mental health issues and other negetive impact as they are not encourage to seek help or support from others.

Encouraging men to express themselves freely and scrapping from their mind the notion that showing vulnerability is a sign of weakness and asking for help demote their personality. All these contribute to the growth of the society as they will surely relate with the opposite gender and also among themselves.

Gender stereotype can also limit career choices, for example women may be discourage form pursuing career in engineering because they are perceive as not interested or not capable and men as well should not be found in some particular professions. It is not ethical or appropriate to discriminate against any profession based on gender. All professions should be open to all individuals regardless of their gender. It is important to focus on skills, qualifications, and experience rather than gender stereotypes.

It’s important to understand that mental health issues can affect anyone, regardless of gender, age, background, or social status. Seeking help for mental health problems is a sign of strength, not weakness. It takes courage to acknowledge that you need help and seek that support. Men may feel pressure to be self-reliant and tough, which can make them hesitant to seek help. It’s essential to create a safe and supportive environment where men can feel comfortable seeking help and receiving therapy.

In conclusion, it is essential to challenge gender stereotype to create a world where everyone can live up to their full potential and express their individuality regardless of their gender identity. By challenging gender stereotype we can work towards creating a more inclusive and equal society where people are free to be themselves without facing judgement or discrimination based on their gender.