• TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today
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    6 hours ago

    But let’s not give 'em a head start by using words that consistently turn off our audience, eh? In my experience, “privilege” and “toxic masculinity” do just that.

    Because the well funded rightwing think tanks have already tarred them…

    people using “evil homosexuals” don’t need to add the “evil,” because they’re bigots who believe that homosexuality is evil. Likewise, the people who use “toxic masculinity” don’t need to add the “toxic,” because they’re bigots who believe that masculinity is toxic.

    I use toxic masculinity and I don’t think masculinity is inherently toxic?

    And I don’t think a significant amount of people think masculinity by itself is toxic by itself. Otherwise everyone would be force femming their husbands, or hating any trans men choosing to express themselves.

    The only people who seem to be interpreting toxic masculinity as an implication of masculinity as a whole are people who seem to think all maledom is under siege.

        • SwingingTheLamp@piefed.zip
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          6 hours ago

          I disclaimed explicitly that I don’t believe that speakers who use the phrase “toxic masculinity” believe that masculinity per se is toxic, but clarified that the issue is whether listeners interpret it that way (based on the pattern established by known bigots). And indeed, while I was writing, somebody else left a comment that does indeed interpret it that way.

          • TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today
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            4 hours ago

            disclaimed explicitly that I don’t believe that speakers who use the phrase “toxic masculinity” believe that masculinity per se is toxic

            And did I accuse you of doing so?

            while I was writing, somebody else left a comment that does indeed interpret it that way.

            Yes, lemmy has a pretty established history of harboring a lot of misogynistic users which do not reflect the thoughts of everyday normal people.

            I don’t think we should be moderating our own behavior to satisfy people acting in bad faith or to the temper of bigots.