I think that much of this rhetoric can be rooted in critical race theory. It’s arguably inherently anti-classical liberalism. It’s part of why I see it as political speech and not science. It’s an ideology.
I'm wondering what empirical evidence exists to support the notion that teaching men in therapy about their 'power,' their 'privilege,' their fundamental role as 'oppressors' and in 'the patriarchy' actually improves mental health outcomes. The new APA guidelines appear silent on that.
I tend to think that both 'traditional femininity' (whatever that is) and 'traditional masculinity' (whatever that is) have both positive and negative aspects.
I don't think that 'traditional masculinity' is predominantly dysfunctional, toxic, violent, or criminal.
I don't think that teaching young men to be 'less traditionally masculine' is any more healthy than teaching young women to be 'less traditionally feminine.' I think it's up to the INDIVIDUAL in therapy (man or woman) to figure that out for themselves and I don't think that I should, as a therapist, have an agenda to 'purge' my male clients of traditionally masculine traits or even discourage their expression in them.
I don't think that a focus on 'stoicism' or 'achievement' or 'competition' is necessarily or inherently pathological.
But that makes me a troglodyte.
Is the poem, 'If' by Rudyard Kipling an example of 'traditional masculinity?' Is it toxic?
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
