Most young adult men in Australia reject traditional ideas of masculinity that endorse aggression, stoicism and homophobia. Nonetheless, the continuing influence of those ideas continues to harm men and the people around them. These are a few of the findings of a latest survey of men in Australia.
The Man Box surveyled by The Men’s Project at Jesuit Social Services in partnership with Respect Victoria, spoke to 2,523 Australian men aged between 18 and 30.
We asked men how much they agreed with a stereotypical model of methods to be a person. In this model, men are expected to all the time act tough, be aggressive, take risks, be stoic, heterosexual, homophobic and transphobic, emotionally inexpressive, hostile to femininity, and dominant.
The results showed most men don’t endorse this model of manhood, and most don’t think society is encouraging this version of manhood amongst them. This suggests healthier, more gender-equitable, and more inclusive norms of manhood are relatively common amongst young adult men in Australia.
That said, one-quarter to one-third of young men did agree with a few of the attributes.
Although the outcomes are largely encouraging, it’s discouraging that men’s levels of endorsement of traditional masculine beliefs have remained regular over the past five years.
Unsplash
Comparing essentially the most recent Man Box survey with the previous survey in 2018there was little change in men’s attitudes towards male aggression, stoicism and self-sufficiency, domestic labour as women’s work, homophobia, and hypersexuality.
The only substantial areas of change in young men’s own beliefs have been of their comfort with men spending time on grooming and fashion and their acceptance of men not all the time knowing where their intimate partner is. That is, young men nowadays could also be spending somewhat more time in front of the toilet mirror, and checking up somewhat less on where their wives or girlfriends are.
Although only a minority of young men support male dominance and control in relationships and families overall, this has not declined much up to now five years.
On the opposite hand, young men report less societal pressure to adapt to those stereotypical masculine norms than five years ago. While they now report feeling less pressure to be self-sufficient, stoic, and act strong, large numbers say it stays a problem for them.
Harmful for all genders
Young men’s endorsement of traditional masculine norms plays out in a spread of problematic behaviours. These include behaviour that’s harmful to women and in addition to men themselves.
Our survey shows one-quarter of young men have used physical violence against an intimate partner, and one-fifth have used sexual violence against an intimate partner. Both behaviours are more likely among the many young men who more strongly endorse more traditional stereotypes of masculinity.
Traditional masculine norms also limit young men’s own health and wellbeing. Among the lads we surveyed, some had considered suicide and self-harm, were drinking at dangerous levels, taking risks while intoxicated or drug-affected, or problem gambling. Again, all of those are more common amongst the lads with the very best conformity to traditionally masculine stereotypes.
Promoting healthy masculinity
To address the harms of stereotypical masculine norms, three tasks are crucial.
First, we must highlight why these are harmful in the primary place. This means alerting policy makers, service providers and the community to the prices of men’s and boys’ blind conformity to masculinity.
Second, we must weaken the cultural influence of stereotypical masculine ideals, particularly those that cause harm to men and the people around them. That may involve highlighting the positive diversity amongst men and boys, promoting spaces where men can support one another in breaking freed from rigid masculine stereotypes, and amplifying alternative male voices.
Third, we must promote healthy alternatives to rigid masculine ideals, based on qualities equivalent to gender equality, non-violence, respect and empathy. This may be done through schools as a part of respectful relationships education. There may also be social marketing and communications campaigns and changes to the policies and workplace cultures that constrain men’s parenting, amongst other strategies.
Building work with men and boys
The “healthy masculinities” field is taking off in Australia. There are latest programs aimed toward boys and men, national violence-prevention frameworks for men and boys, and latest funding opportunities. Most people in Australia agree men and boys will profit from breaking free from traditional masculine stereotypes.
If this growing field is to make an actual difference, nonetheless, there are some necessary ways forward. The work should be scaled up, beyond programs reaching small numbers of boys in schools.
Shutterstock
Because gender norms and patterns of interaction are embedded in organisations and communities, work should be done in those spaces too.
Intensive intervention is required within the settings that sustain unhealthy and gender-inequitable types of masculinity. These may include particular workplaces, informal male peer groups, and online platforms and networks on Reddit, X/Twitter and elsewhere.
There is a wealthy body of scholarship on how stereotypical masculinity shapes men’s and boys’ poor health, use of violenceand other social problems.
However, we want to know more in regards to the positives. What are the aspects that shape healthy attitudes, behaviours and relations amongst men and boys? How can we then construct on them?
We need to construct services’ and practitioners’ capability to work well with men and boys: through university teaching, skilled development and practitioner networks.
Finally, we want standards for effective practice in work with men and boys, so initiatives and programs in Australia aren’t merely well-intended but actually make a difference.
