What does masculinity mean to you? This is the question retailer Bonobos asks in a new spot asking its followers to #EvolveTheDefinition of masculinity.
In the 90-second âmini-documentary,â all different types of men read Googleâs definition of âmasculineâ and compare it to how they self-define, making it clear that traditional textbook definitions are inadequate when it comes to describing the depth, breadth, nuance and potential of evolved definitions of manhood.
Toxic masculinity is defined by Wikipedia as âadherence to traditional male gender roles that restrict the kinds of emotions allowable for boys and men to express, including social expectations that men seek to be dominant (the âalpha maleâ) and limit their emotional range primarily to expressions of anger.â While prevalent for centuries, as of late, itâs become a huge topic; for instance, we canât weigh the impact of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements without equally considering the effects of toxic masculinity; nor can we look at the policies of our current administration without doing the same.
In attempting to address the issue head-on, Bonobosâ respondents include men of all races and sexual orientationsâincluding trans menâproving the point that manhood should be self-defined, not culturally mandated; and that those mandates often do more harm than good.
Advertisement
Most importantly, Bonobos begs the question: What doesâand shouldâmasculinity mean now?
