Gillette Joins the Fight against ‘Toxic Masculinity’
by Ben Shapiro, National Review:
On Monday, Gillette — the razor and shaving-cream company — joined the chorus of cultural forces decrying so-called “toxic masculinity.” The company ran an online commercial suggesting that the history of American masculinity is rife with sexual harassment, bullying, and cruelty — and that the new masculinity must overcome all of these influences.
Now, it’s not new to see corporations pursuing accolades from various social groups — monetizing virtue signaling. It’s a profitable method, since it inoculates your corporation from the woke scolds of the Left. We’ve seen more and more corporations kowtowing to leftist social priorities, knowing that conservatives generally don’t threaten boycotts while leftist activists are happy to do so at the drop of a hat.
But there’s a broader question here: Is Gillette right?
The American Psychological Association seems to think so. Last week, it released a new set of guidelines slamming “traditional masculinity.” According to the APA, “traditional masculinity ideology” helps limit “males’ psychological development, constrain their behavior, result in gender role strain and gender role conflict, and negatively influence mental and physical health.” According to the APA, “traditionally masculine” men have built a system of masculinity around bullying rather than civilizing, around stolidity rather than emotional maturity. Thus, it is the fault of men that young boys are growing up to become toxic males.
But is that true? If we truly believe that young men are growing up inculcated into a toxic vision of masculinity, is that from too much traditional male influence or too little? Today, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 23 percent of American children live with a single mother. That percentage has tripled since 1960. As of 2012, 55 percent of black children and 31 percent of Hispanic children lived with one parent, predominantly the mother.
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