A man’s place: A conversation about masculinity in the #MeToo era

Too often, the most pressing debates about gender (i.e. sexual assault, equal pay) are simplified to women’s-only issues. That’s a problem. In this November 12, 2019 YES! piece, nine people discuss our collective responsibility in these conversations and debate how men should participate in the #MeToo movement.

Alex Meyers, Earth-Feather Sovereign, Imara Jones, Kalimah Johnson, Kendrick Sampson, Maru Mora Villalpando, Sady Doyle, Tarana Burke, and Tony Porter, "Can We Build a Better Man?" YES!, 12 November 2019

 

1. All nine people featured in this conversation are responding to the same questions: “What is men’s role in the #MeToo movement, and what does a new or nontoxic masculinity look like?” Which argument did you find most provocative, and why? Respond to this argument using a template from Chapter 4.
   
2. This piece demonstrates the real-life complexity of academic conversations. Examine the arguments presented in this piece. What is one significant point of disagreement you see among these arguments? If two people are saying different things on an issue, is only one of them right? Why do you think that? Try to reconcile the point of disagreement that you noticed, explaining how both arguments could be right. Use a “making concessions” template from Chapter 6 to frame your explanation.
3. The editors of this piece made specific choices in how they represented each voice in the conversation: they used illustrations of the speakers, rather than photographs, and they chose to highlight particular information about each person’s background under their names. Why do you think they presented the people in this conversation in this way? How do these choices help establish each person’s credibility? Which voices do you think are more credible than others, and why do you think that?
4. Another voice in the conversation about toxic masculinity is this 2019 Gillette ad, “We Believe: The Best Men Can Be.” Describe the argument made in this ad: what does it say about what causes toxic masculinity, what toxic masculinity looks like, and how toxic masculinity could be rectified? How is this argument similar to or different from the arguments presented in the YES! piece? What scene or image from this ad did you find most compelling? Why?

Comments

[Gabby Perez]

My initial thought on Tony Porter was taken aback when he stated, "I’m supportive of the term ‘toxic masculinity’ because it keeps the discussion alive and engages people in this conversation in new ways." because my initial thought of it was that he supported men who acting in toxic masculinity although once he began to explain his opinion, I was more at ease with his response. Kalimah Johnson had viewpoints on how Black men do not feel as if they need to support women who claim to have been raped or sexually assaulted because they feel as if they are always under attack and I believe that this point of hers is one that could be used to justify the way men see women in these situations. Kendrick Sampson also made a point of the society we live in is dominated by white supremacy and that our nation's history of white supremacy where as most of the women address toxic masculinity to be the main problem. I believe that both have major parts in the disregard in the #MeToo movement. In the 2019 Gillette ad "We Believe: The Best Men Can Do," they show toxic masculinity to be men supporting or disregarding violence between boy and the actors in the ad saying throughout it that "boys will be boys." As well as men sexualizing the women around them. The ad proceeds as the narrator states that men should be held accountable and the attitude of the men in the ad begins to change. The men stand up for the boy who is being bullied and show the sons who are fighting that violence is not allows the answer. A man interferes with the man who is sexualizing the woman on the street. Most of these women's opinion on men is to hold them accountable but also show them they can be vulnerable like Sady Doyle when she stated, "We have a really weird culture, wherein men and women don’t actually sit down and talk to each other on a deep level, unless they’re about to get married." She bring attention to the fact that men do not open up about their feelings and later states that this is one of the problems we need to address with men so they can listen and support those women affected by sexual assault and harassment.

[Sam]

I believe this article makes some assumptions that need to be addressed from the start. First, they assume that all men are bad guys and commit some amount of "toxic masculinity." They also assume that this discussion involves everyone, like everyone is talking about it. I believe they have some good points but I also believe that they need a common consensus on the topic among all parties before coming to conclusions and solutions.

[Luke Murphy]

Throughout the article, nine people were all asked the same question ““What is men’s role in the #MeToo movement, and what does a new or nontoxic masculinity look like?'' After reading the article, one particular response stuck out as being provocative. Kendrick Samson, a political activist and a famous actor had a pretty intelligent response to the answer, calling out men to participate and to amplify the voices who have faced sexual harassment. After answering the question, Samson starts to talk about white supremacy in the national anthem, I feel if this is counterproductive, when talking about toxic-masculinity because one can relate white supremacy to sexism, racism, and other issues in America but it doesn’t help his argument at all. Just angers the more conservative readers of this article by attacking yet another thing that's wrong with the country.
In the article a very productive discussion happens, although some ideas may not exactly line up, they still combine to agree on some topics and have a nice discussion on what they believe. Throughout the article, not many of the activists agree on how to fix the issue at hand, some of the people take more of an attack on men saying they need to listen better, while others offer a solution which makes men feel more comfortable and less vulnerable when talking about things like sexual assault or harassment. This disagreement helps convey to the reader the complications behind the “toxic masculinity” in the U.S and how it can’t just be fixed with a snap of a finger. It takes discussions like this to solve issues like these.
I think the author included the sketched pictures of the people in order to get rid of any prejudgements of the reader, so that no one can be judged on the color of their skin or any other factors. The author also added background information in order to add credibility to the person talking. The reader doesn’t want to listen to someone who has no knowledge of what they are talking about. They want to hear from someone who can be trusted and has experience in this field.
Throughout the Gelite ad ““We Believe: The Best Men Can Be.” an argument is conveyed to the reader that the time of sexual assault and the toxic masculinity that has been in frequent use and normalized in our society needs to come to an end. We have a generation that is different from all the others, that can change and will, we just have to embrace the change, so the world will become a happier and all around better place to live in. The ad shows “toxic masculinity” as being sexual harassment, bullying, and “cat calling” and we put an end to it by teaching the younger generation that these things are not okay at all, that we should treat people with the same respect. This argument defines “toxic masculinity” the same as the article but the way we solve the issues are different. Gelite offers a long term solution, pertaining to the younger generation by teaching them that it's not okay to do these things, while the “YES!” the article discusses a short term solution by making men listen and make the topic not so sensitive to talk about in order to help fix the issue. I found the end of the video most compelling by showing clips of people putting an end to these heinous acts and leaving me and other watchers with a sense of hope for the future.

[Peter Schwab]

This article has a clear and important purpose, but it is flooded with issues in the responses it agrees with to make its point. The main problem to me is that it generalizes masculinity, and men as a whole, seemingly assuming that all men think and feel the same way when it comes to issues involving gender particularly. Personally, I don't really let gender affect the way I treat people ot talk to them, if anything I treat women much better than I treat men. Now again, I know not all men are like this, but that is exactly my point: not all men are the same. And it is not just me, I know many other men who think and act the same way as me if not better, so with a variety of men who have differeing opinions and ways they act, it is unfair for the point of the article and its sources to generalize men in the way it does.

[Anichka Kelly]

In this article nine people were interviewed and asked about how men can me nontoxic towards the #MeToo movement. Everyone's answer was different but the underlying message in each answer is that men need to change their mindset.

Nontoxic masculinity in the #MeToo movement is shown as men listening to women and their experiences. Men don't need to separate themselves from this movement because they have never done anything to a girl. They need to engage in the conversation to not remain ignorant. No matter race, background, and previous actions men need to listen and stay informed. Also men need to get out of the stereotypes brought upon them. They need to be in touch with their feeling and create deeper relationships with people around them to get rid of toxic masculinity. Reading the article I didn't come across a provocative response. Everyone responded calmly and maturely.

A significant point of disagreement in these articles are whether or not mean should be taught about how to be nontoxic or if they should figure it out. Imara Jones believe men should figure out what it means to be nontoxic while Earth-Feather Sovereign believes women and other men should open up and inform other men about toxic masculinity and how to be nontoxic. Neither person is right or wrong. It is their opinion and what they believe and are not harmful to society.

The authors decided to depict these people with drawn pictures so the reader doesn't judge what they say and their credibility based on their skin or race. The use of putting their title beside the picture is to show that it doesn't matter what job you have you can still be educated and have knowledge on the subject. I believe that all of these people are credible and have knowledge on the subject based on what they said. No one is more credible than another person because this is what they know and what they believe.

In the ad they show that male stereotypes and the actions portrayed to young boys cause toxic masculinity. The emphasize this with showing a man in a meeting unnecessarily touching a women shoulder and two men at different times going for a women because of their body. This ad and the arguments in the Yes! article are similar because they both show that men need to be shown and taught about their toxic masculinity and also be shown how to not be toxic towards women. What was compelling to me in the ad was the man telling other man "no" on the street when he was about to follow another women because she looked good.

[sophia bond]

1. The article, "Can We Build a Better Man?" provides deeper understanding on what toxic masculinity looks like. Each activist was asked the same question, "What is men's roles in the #MeToo movement, and what does toxic masculinity look like?" Each person's response had the same underlying claim on the male patriarchy. The response I felt was most provocative was Kalimah Johnson's. Her response was the most shocking to me because regardless of race, both women and men are at risk of rape and molestation. Statistically, people of color are more at risk of rape than others. Racism and maintaining white patriarchy are hand in hand with one another.

2. The article provides real-life complexity of academic conversations. Each argument has similarities relating to the male patriarchy society faces. The main disagreement shown in the article is how they think men should do to change the stigma around toxic masculinity. Some feel that men need to listen better and work to make women feel safer in every situation, and others want men to be okay with showing vulnerability when talking about the topics of sexual assault or harassment. When two people are saying different things on an issue, both sides of the argument can be right. There's no right or wrong answer in an argument if both claims can be supported. The disagreements in the article are on both ends of the spectrum, but both can be supported. Men need to be more aware of the challenges women face with sexual assault, but they also need to be able to show vulnerability to those situations because regardless of gender, it can happen to them too.

3. I believe that the author chose to use illustrations of the of the speakers to change the way we view them. With making the background of the illistrations blue, the readers can no longer make assumptions based on race. Highlighting specific aspects of the speakers careers creates a sense of credibility for the speakers. The readers know what they've achieved without stigma over race being present.

4. The ad "We Believe: The Best Men Can Be" the argument over toxic masculinity is presented as something that is frequently normalized. "Boys will be boys." The ad shows that the idea of toxic masculinity has been embedded into the generations from the younger generations to the older. In order to rectify the affects of toxic masculinity is to teach everyone right from wrong. The arguments in both the Gelite ad and the "YES!" article is the solutions. Gelite offers long term solution by teaching younger generations not to harass others. Whereas the "YES!" article introduces more short term solutions to address the issues of toxic masculinity.

[Britany Mandujano]

1. The argument that I found to be the most proactive would be Earth, Founder of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Washington about how its ok for men to have feelings, its ok for them to cry, to be angry, but they can handle that anger in a way that is healthy and not toxic. I’d add that this should be very clear to everyone, society or anyone shouldn't make it seem that men can’t have genuine feelings. It is completely normal for men to cry and get angry, if these feelings are not expressed they will build up and it will be hard for men to handle these feelings especially anger.
2. These nine individuals all have different arguments but they are all mainly focused on the same thing which is that they should step up to help others have the courage to do the same. An example would be Imara Jones that explains what non toxic masculinity looks like, is a masculinity without patriarchy and Sady Doyle says that men need to cultivate the art of listening. They explain seemingly similar points but the start they explain different ways that men need to do for the stop of toxic masculinity. There is not only a right answer if two opposing sides are viewing the question in a different form, these are opinions of the question from a certain individual's perspective. Proponents of non toxic masculinity are right to argue that masculinity without patriarchy, they slightly exaggerate when they state this.
3. He presented the people this way by giving a more genuine perception of each individual. The use illustration gives a broad view of them and the information of them gives a brief insight of who they are, and what their views may be as well as not showing what their race is by skin color. These choices establish credibility by showing briefly who they are what they do or have done. I think in this specific situation, considering the question asked it depends which way that one views each statement but I would say the men answering the question are most credible because they answer the question as being a man and experiencing how they are treated in our society, although it doesn't mean the women are not credible. To be specific the one individual I view as most credible to all the others would be Alex Myers because of the story of his background that he briefly mentioned since he is a “trans guy”. He explains before he became trans he knows how young girls felt because he was evidently treated like one and knows that he is a trans guy he knows both sides of how both genders are treated.
4. The argument that is made in this commercial is that the typical sayings like “boys will be boys” aren't right, men need to evolve and be better which now is getting better over time. Toxic masculinity is often harassment to others because they feel superior to others. The more people know of this will help and it may take time but the more people that contribute to this will help non toxic masculinity arise. This argument is similar mostly because it shows that it's not ok for men to have the feeling of complete superiority if others especially think that that enables them to harass women. The most compelling scene in my opinion would be the scene where the woman at a meeting is being downgraded just because of her gender.

[Shahakar Patel]

1. The article, "Can We Build a more Better Man?" provides a deeper understanding of what toxic masculinity feels like. Each activist was asked the identical question, "What are men's roles within the #MeToo movement, and what does toxic masculinity look like?" Each person's response had the identical underlying claim on the male patriarchy. The response I felt was most provocative was Kalimah Johnson's. Her response was the foremost shocking to me because no matter race, both women and men are in danger of rape and molestation. Statistically, people of color are more in danger of rape than others. Racism and maintaining white patriarchy are hand in hand with each other.

2. The article provides real-life complexity of educational conversations. Each argument is analogous referring to the male patriarchy society faces. the most disagreement shown within the article is how they think men should do to alter the stigma around toxic masculinity. Some feel that men must listen better and work to create women feel safer in every situation, et al want men to be okay with showing vulnerability when talking about the topics of statutory offense or harassment. When two people are saying various things on a problem, each side of the argument will be right. there isn't any right or wrong answer in an argument if both claims will be supported. The disagreements within the article are on both ends of the spectrum, but both will be supported. Men must be more conscious of the challenges women face with the statutory offense, but they also must be ready to show vulnerability to those situations because no matter gender, it can happen to them too.

3. I feel that the author chose to use illustrations of the speakers to alter the way we view them. With making the background of the illustrations blue, the readers can now not make assumptions supported race. Highlighting specific aspects of the speaker's careers creates a way of credibility for the speakers. The readers know what they've achieved without stigma over race being present.

4. The ad "We Believe: the most effective Men Can Be" the argument over toxic masculinity is presented as something that's frequently normalized. "Boys are boys." The ad shows that the thought of toxic masculinity has been embedded into the generations from the younger generations to the older. so as to rectify the effects of toxic masculinity is to show everyone right from wrong. The arguments in both the Gelite ad and also the "YES!" article is that the solutions. Gelite offers a future solutions by teaching younger generations to not harass others. Whereas the "YES!" article introduces more short term solutions to deal with the problems of toxic masculinity.

[Chloe Kaminski]

Though I fully understand what people mean with the term toxic masculinity and agree with the issue, I have always hated the term. I feel that the term toxic masculinity is implying that masculinity is toxic when in fact it is not, misogyny is, and misogyny is not masculine. I believe masculine men have begun to feel unwelcome by the me too movement when they really should not. The me too movement is meant to bring awareness to sexual assault and misconduct, not to make men feel that their very existence is toxic. As Maru Mora says "the role of men in the #MeToo movement is critical," and it is. Men need to hold other men accountable. Their masculine counterparts are not toxic, but their misogynistic ones are. I feel there is a big stigma in the male community that showing emotion and compassion are feminine traits that make men so called beta males, but these traits are not feminine, they are simply human traits. I think it is important we note to males that coming clean about their male counterparts and exposing misogyny is not feminine, but it is something that ties to neither end. It is showing respect to all around you putting an end to what is a patriarchal society. Tony Porter mentions that the majority of men do not sexually assault women, but stay silent about acts they know about. I believe this is because they are scared of the response that is to come from the misogynistic people around them. It is time to put an end to this silence and it is important for men to know that they are essential to the #MeToo movement. Speaking up is not feminine and staying silent is not masculine. The #MeToo movement should and does welcome men who are ready to put an end to misogyny.

[Zebediah Hagley-Best]

To be honest I never thought that a man would have such a key role in the #MeToo movement but after reading the article “Can We Build a Better Man”, I realized that they have such an important part to play. Most of the authors in the article agreed on the fact that the mens role in the movement wa to keep his friends and himself aware that rape actually happens and that if they allowed themselves to be vunrable they would have access to healing and be less toxic. One author by the name Sady Doyle wrote “ Men and women don't actually sit down and talk to each other on a deep level… It’s really easy for men to not understand the sheer pervasiveness of sexual violence and sexual harrasssment.” When I read that I felt that she truly had a point because a man is going to know how we feel unless we become their friend we have an opportunity to set their mind straight allowing them to know that these thing really happen and how afraid women are sometimes because it could happen to them at any point in their life. There was another author by the name of Tony Porter who said “... we must listen to women, believe them and validate their experiences.” I felt bad that he actually had to say that, because the truth is sometimes people don’t believe a woman when she said she got rape or they do and still do nothing. For instance in my sociology class we watched a documentary called The Invisible War, about the thousands of women the U.S military into that were raped by some of the men in their platoon and when they reported it was never really investigated or was told to stop lying and that they didn’t believe them. The worst thing is that these women fought for their country, but their country didn’t even want to acknowledge the truth of what actually happened to those women.

[Kaitlyn Riley]

1) In the article "Can We Build A Better Man?" nine different people are asked the same question; "What is men's role in the #MeToo movement, and what does new or non-toxic masculinity look like?" Each person has their own opinions and arguments as to what a man's role in the #MeToo movement and what they think non-toxic masculinity is. the response that I found most provocative was from Kalimah Johnson. I found hers the most provocative because it went the most in-depth about the pain and suffering behind the #MeToo movement and what I would say was the least censored response. She mentioned the sexual assault and how all races are affected by rape and molestation.
2) The main point of disagreement that I have noticed throughout the article was the belief that men need to own up and be accountable for their actions and the belief that society should not blame all men so they better understand the #MeToo movement and don't get defensive. With both arguments, there is no right or wrong answer because both have their strengths and weaknesses. The point that all men should be held responsible and change how they act is in a way true and I think that men should realize how some of their traits can be toxic to society, and if they are doing things to harm others it should be changed. The other argument about how men should be open to talk about their feelings so they don't have to feel defensive is a valid point because there are always two sides to a story and it is better to communicate rather than place the blame. I do however understand that when a mistake is made one should be held responsible.
3) In the article, the publisher made the decision to use illustrations to represent the people speaking. I believe this was done in order to put real faces to the statements being made. The illustrations show their face and who they are as real people but don't objectify them based on qualities such as race. The illustrations put everyone at an equal role and focus on their true selves. The descriptions help add credibility because it allows the audience to understand each person's background and get a feel for where they stand. Even though everyone's voice, experience, and opinions are all equally valuable and credible, and more credible source could be those of who are apart of organizations or jobs that specifically deal with the #MeToo movement or sexual assault cases.
4) In the Gillette ad, the argument about toxic masculinity is that men who present good values and morals should be praised and continue to reflect their good behaviors in order to positively influence the children of today and create a better future. The ad shows how the media shows toxic masculinity either being sexual assault or violence and that it is the real men in society who have the power to change the role of men and promote kindness and respect towards women. The powerful images are the father stopping violence and his child watching because it shows that what one shows impacts their children and others, it sets good examples and creates less toxic roles of men.

[Abigail Oldfield]

1. When talking about a man's role in the #MeToo movement,Kalimah Johnson had the most provocative argument. She wasn't afraid to leave anything out or beat around the bush. Her bringing up racial differences, sexual harassment, and even child abuse were very blunt topics that a lot of people are afraid to bring up and to talk about, which allowed for a more in-depth reasoning and understanding of thee #MeToo movement.
2. The main point of disagreement within the article was whether not all men should be blamed to better understand the movement, or that all men should own up to the mistake that is being made. There really is no right or wrong in this case because both sides can have strong points to back them up, but both arguments also aren't so strong that they can beat out the other. All men owning up to their mistakes could be the right answer because toxic masculinity is an ongoing problem and if it was one that was recognized by the make population, then it is less likely to stick around meaning that the problem would start to dwindle. On the other hand, by realizing the fact that not all men are in the wrong, it allows for a better understanding of what the #MeToo movement is all about.
3. I believe that they chose to use illustrations instead of pictures so that the reader would be able to put a face to a name, but they would not be able to know enough to objectify the responses based on that persons race or ethnicity. By also putting in the small facts under their names, it introduces those respondents and establishes their point of view and how they are associated. The most credible were the ones that were associated with organizations that had a connection to the #MeToo movement or its ideas just because they are gonna know a little bit more about that topic then someone who has just watched from the news and the information that they get second-hand.
4. The argument that was made in the ad was that men had been making excuses for the way others were treated as if it were normal or something that would go away after a while, but the excuses were what caused it to continue. They then went on to say that they way to finally bring an end is to step in when one knows that the situation is no longer right. Men, in this ad particularly, need to stop ignoring the signs and instead stand in and make the change because "the boys watching today, will be the men of tomorrow". It was very similar to many of the arguments made in the article as it focused on taking responsibility and stepping up to make the change which is what many of the respondents focused on. The most compelling image in the ad was when the father stopped a child from being bullied as his child observed from the side. It was important because it symbolized the fact that children and the people around you are always watching and by making good decisions, one is setting their child up for a better role in theirs and others lives.

[Emily Whitaker]

In the article "A man’s place: A conversation about masculinity in the #MeToo era" by Alex Meyers, Earth-Feather Sovereign, Imara Jones, Kalimah Johnson, Kendrick Sapsom, Maru Mora Villalpando, Sady Doyle, Tarana Burke, and Tony Porte, discusses mans role within the #MeToo movement and what they can do to positively impact it. It states ways and opinions on how men can approach the movement compared to how they have been. It gathers information used from people of a variety of ethnicity, gender identity, and occupation. They argue that men need to develop their mindset to support the movement and be aware of each other and their actions.

1) I found Kalimah Johnson's argument most provocative because she went in depth on how issues such as race, gender, all have a place in the movement. This brings up even more perspective and expands the ways people can identify among the movement. She raises awareness on how things such as societal pressures may influence people and recognizes how change should be made.
2) One point of disagreement was among rather or not men should be held accountable for negative actions or if the majority of men are actually able to assist in growing the movement in a positive way. Due to the fact that people come from a multitude of differing backgrounds, I do not believe that any side is right or wrong but rather that both could be used to benefit those affected by #MeToo.
3) I believe things such as occupation and illustrations of each speaker were included to highlight a differing perspective in each that could relate them to the movement to establish credibility while also influencing how the audience may view them by highlighting things the illustrator wanted to be noticed. I found Tarana Burke's to be most credible as she is the founder of the movement which therefor proves how she has applied herself towards it.
4) This ad presented the argument that toxic masculinity is a result of people not speaking up and following ways/societal pressures of the past without growing or developing they way men should treat each other and women. It offers a solution by acting out how men can step up and speak out by holding each other accountable and developing more positive influences with those around them.

[Ashley Griffith]

I believe this article is informative on how different people see masculinity, I most certainly agree that there are some toxic masculinity traits men have. Such as not speaking up when they see a women getting treated a certain way. They want to just look, watch and laugh unless their friends are around then they will speak up. But I do not believe we can just put this on men as a whole because some women now days will belittle a man who can express his feelings, or speaks out. I just think that men are generally confused on how they should and can react to things because of society. You have to be a strong minded man to speak up and speak out.

[Connor Fitzpatrick]

I agree with a lot of what Kendrick Sampson said. He talks about men being in a position where we are able to teach other men about consent and how not to be someone who demonstrates toxic masculinity. Since it's easier for men to have a platform to be heard it's important that they use that platform to convey a good message. He said “If we are not active, we are complicit.” This really struck a chord with me. It says that it’s equally men’s responsibility to actively combat toxic masculinity, if not, more so. Men need to keep other men accountable for their actions, speak up when needed, and refuse to let injustices go on as they have throughout history. Hopefully if more men do this we can move toward a better future.

[Mat Phillips]

I believe the argument that was the most proactive was Tarana Burke’s. I agree with her response that it needs to be more socially accepted and normal for men to talk about their feelings, and my experience from everyday life, both from my own and other perspectives, confirms this. This response gets to the root of the issue of men portraying toxic masculinity, because they do not have an outlet. Tarana Burke gives a solution of giving men spaces and time for them to be vulnerable and have access to healing, as men in society are always attempting to protect themselves. If we attempt to fix this societal issue at the core, then it will be less likely to spread around. So what? This issue matters because toxic masculinity leads men to usually be violent or cause harm upon women in their everyday life, either physically, mentally, emotionally and/or culturally. Overall, Tarana Burke’s argument about her opinion on what a nontoxic masculinity looks like, and her take on men’s role in the “#MeToo” movement is very strong and powerful. She makes a very simple, but effective response by creating safe places for men, overall letting men talk about their feelings and letting them not be intimidated by society and their manhood. She also states men could be helping with the “#MeToo” movement if they were not instinctively defensive over their manhood being attacked, something men have learned to defend. Although not every person featured in the article agrees with each other, I believe Tarana Burke’s argument was the most proactive for me.

Despite everybody in the article discussing solutions to the same issue of toxic masculinity and men’s role in the “#MeToo” movement, most of them have disagreements between each other. One major disagreement I see from opinion to opinion is who is at fault for toxic masculinity. The person of significance mentioned in the beginning paragraph, Tarana Burke, believes creating “safe spaces” for men to discuss their feelings would help ultimately eliminate toxic masculinity, where society is as fault for toxic masculinity. Another person referenced in this article, Sady Doyle, believes to eliminate toxic masculinity, is for men to develop greater relationships with women, and listen to their feelings more, overall stating men are at fault for toxic masculinity. On the one hand, I agree with Doyle that men do not discuss with women about feelings or stereotypically do not have relationships with women where they discuss on a personal level. On the other hand, I still greatly insist that society is the greatest factor with contributing to toxic masculinity, and perhaps that Doyle’s claim stems off Burke’s. Maybe men do not have significant and personal relationships with women due to society shaping them and telling them that they are not a “man” if they do so.

The article has multiple reasons for including the referenced people in the style they chose, from choosing drawings to their background, all relating to their credibility. The article, I believe, chose to use basic drawings of each person, rather than pictures, is because despite the differences we may all have cosmetically, we are all people. Despite some people have key differences from the others that are even demonstrated in the drawings, such as Tony Porter being bald, they are all drawn in the same style and with the same color. The background information that is provided informs us and gives us a great sense of credibility for each person, and that most of them have been tackling the issue of gender and sexuality before stating their opinions in this article. Most people in this article have very creditable backgrounds, but I believe Tarana Burke’s credibility is the greatest. She only has one accreditation, but she is the founder of the “#MeToo” movement, which is the of the two main points in this topic. To me, this accreditation is the most important, making Burke’s voice the most credible.

The Gilette ad tackles toxic masculinity and gives us multiple perspectives and a strong resolution. The ad gives us many different instances of toxic masculinity that have been socially accepted for centuries, even making fun of their previous slogan of “the best a man can get.” Some of these that are demonstrated are bullying, sexual harassment, and objectifying women, which are shown in multiple perspectives and everyday situations. The ad suggests we should step in as a community, as if you observe toxic masculinity, you should step in and confront them. This ad is different than the arguments in the article, as it has many different takes on what toxic masculinity is, rather than having one set definition for it. However, it is similar because it takes what Imara Jones stated in the article, and states the potential solution to this problem, which is to step in and intervene if you notice toxic masculinity occurring. The scene I found most compelling was the workplace one, where the man puts his hand on the girl’s shoulder and says, “What I think she was trying to say.” This scene was the most compelling to me because it shows how much toxic masculinity is not just in our leisure time, but also in the workplace, as many females have experienced this. In the end, the Gilette ad is a very powerful and informational video about toxic masculinity and gives us a resolution to it.

[Daniela Ore]

In the article, "Can We Build a Better Man?" nine people discuss the same question, "What is men's role in the #MeToo movement, and what does a new or nontoxic masculinity look like?" They had different views on a few topics, but one thing they had in common was they felt that men need to take part in the #MeToo movement. The response I found most provocative was from Kamilah Johnson. Johnson doesn't beat around the bush and is direct with her argument, where she talks about how race is playing a role in the #MeToo movement. In this article, Johnson mentions, "Black men I've talked to have a very hard time believing anybody is getting raped, and particularly Black women." When it is clearly shown through statistics, people of color are more at risk of being victims of sexual assault. Johnson discusses how not just one race is committing horrific acts; therefore, people blame someone's skin color. Kamilah Johnson asserts that men's role is to educate themselves and other men in rape culture and victim-blaming by having conversations. I agree with Johnson's point that toxic masculinity plays a significant role in this. For centuries it has been seen as feminine to show emotion and that to be masculine, you must establish dominance or be seen as weak. This idea is unhealthy because what you wear, showing emotions, and how you act doesn't make you less of a man, woman, or whatever you identify.

[Haley Dielman]

For the most part, I think the speakers in this article are in agreement with one another. There seems to be a consensus that men should keep each other accountable for their actions and lead the way in educating other men on sexual harassment. However, the first speaker in the article, Tarana Burke, makes an interesting point that I think is counter to what everyone else seems to agree with. Tarana argues that men’s role in the #MeToo movement is as survivors. She goes on to discuss how many men feel their masculinity is attacked by the #MeToo movement, which puts them on the defensive. She argues that If men could instead be given the space to express their emotions and find healing, they could be less defensive and be part of the solution. Ultimately, Tarana is in agreement with the other speakers in that men should be held accountable and lead the way in changing the narrative. But she does so by addressing the problem of how we, as a society, instill toxic ideals of masculinity in men. Ultimately, each speaker’s perspective in this article is important because sexual harassment isn’t just a women’s issue but a human issue, and we need to understand everyone’s viewpoint to come to a solution.

[Carissa O.]

Men are typically generalized by masculinity and much of the #MeToo movement is to attack men who have sexually harassed women. Each person gives roughly the same point, that the movement should also be a safe space for men as well to be vulnerable and feel safe to tell their experiences. However, the men who do not have experiences or are sexually harassing these women need to at least listen to the stories being told so they can be informed rather than removing themselves from the conversation. We should not discriminate no one based off their gender, how they identify themselves, race, or preferences. It is safe to say after reading all nine of the responses from these people, that the #MeToo movement is for everybody, that we should eliminate toxic masculinity, and to listen to each other.

[Rebecca Cleary]

This article was very powerful to read. Something I noticed in almost every answer was that the #MeToo movement needs to be a safe space for men and give them a level of comfort and security to let their guard down, that they don't normally feel they have. A couple points that stood out to me were that of Tony Porter, when he said he is supportive of the term "toxic masculinity". This to me initially said that he was supportive OF toxic masculinity. However, Tony makes valid points in saying that by categorizing themselves into "bad" or "good", this allows them to turn a blind eye to the issues that are at hand and not participate in the conversations that are happening. I also took very strongly to Maru Mora Villalpando's point that it is up to cis men to face the privilege they have and willingly make that change. Something that is pointed out in almost every interview as well is that men have to also accept that they are not alone in their feelings. Feelings do not make them any less of a man, but allows them healing.

[Miguel]

The significant point of disagreement that I see is in the articles is the believe of a man should or should not be shown how to not be toxic or if they should learn it on their own. One of the people who got interviewed such as Imara Jones felt that men should solve out women and men should talk to solve the issue and better inform other men about toxic masculinity. This way both parties can understand each other and come to a conclusion about how to be nontoxic. As I was reading I can see that no one is right or wrong because everyone is entitled to have their own way to think and analyze something to give an opinion and express it.

[Ryan Johnson]

I believe Men's role in the #metoo movement is to understand and stand up against. Nontoxic masculinity can look like it has in a sense, with other men especially, but not if that includes degrading women. The more Women are seen as equals rather than objects the more nontoxic masculinity can be prevalent. Masculine can be showed and expressed in other ways, like supporting the women in your life, not only in a financial way but also be that rock emotionally. One difference I notice throughout the opinions is some saying a Man's role is to listen, while others say a Man's role is to act. I do believe that listening and believing a women when she opens up about this topic is incredibly important, but for I believe a much more important role for the Men is to act and speak up against it towards other Men. I believe they presented the people in the conversation the way they did to distinguish each person from one another to state the article was unbiased and each contributor is reputable in their own way. I don't believe any of these voices are more credible than the other. Everyone of these people has a unique outlook on the movement based on the situations they've encountered in life and all viewpoints should at least be heard if not accepted.

[Sapphire Ellis]

Upon reading the responses of the nine people featured in this article, I believe it helped me understand the #MeToo movement a little more. I think Tarana Burke, the founder of #MeToo gave a very good description on what the movement is about. Like myself and probably many others, when it comes to hearing about #MeToo, you think it is all about protecting women and tearing men down as attackers. However, Tarana explains that not only do we need to protect our women, but we also need to protect our men as well. #MeToo is also about creating spaces and making it comfortable for men to be vulnerable and share their stories as survivors. There is a big misconception in my opinion that only women are attacked. Men hurt and are attacked as well but it seems to be frowned upon for men to step up and speak on their situations. Men seem to be made fun of or not believed by others for the simple fact that they are a man and how could a woman possibly overpower them.

[Destini Morgan]

1. One of the people i find most proactive is Earth-Feather Sovereign, Founder of Missing and Murdered Indiegenous Women Washington. They made a valid points talking about how men is suppose to be their protector of their women, their kids, and their mothers. Men shouldn't be toxic regardless because it doesn't get them anywhere. Its okay for men to cry, for them to show any kind of remose feelings, and it's super okay to deal with your angerness but only in a way that's not toxic. Men kidnaps innocents women and girls because they have this toxic masculinity. Which needs to be put to an in. Men should be allow to have a voice just as much as women can.
2.The main point of this disagreement talks about whether men should be blamed or hold accountable for their actions. I think it can go both ways where we get to hear both side of the story but mainly where the men will own up to his mistakes. We wants everything to go into a positive direction and knowing that hopefully men can admit their wrongs because we need more people like that especially with the toxic masculinity that's still happening today.
3.I personally feel like the author uses illustrations instead of photographs for each person so i think it doesn't have to be a race or ethnicity issues. Especially since all of those people have a voice and how they associated with the #MeToo movements. Tarana-Burke's is the one that really caught my eyes because she is the founder of the #MeToo movements and she made a valid point based on Toxic masculinity.
4.In the ad "We Believe: The Best Man Can Be" they constantly show how boys have been behaving between fighting and bullying and cyber-bullying. It was a never ending thing until the Dad saw that his son and another boy was fighting and that's when he put an in to it. Another one explained when Terry Crew brought up "all men and all boys need to be held accountable" based on sexual harrassment and sexual assualts which they do. Men and boys need to have a change and it needs to be a good change. Don't fight, don't bully, don't do any type of sexual anything. Be the men you want to be. A better and a good one.

[Brett Sizemore]

1. When talking about a man's role in the #MeToo movement,I think Kalimah Johnson had the most provocative argument. She wasn't afraid to leave anything out or beat around the bush. Her bringing up racial differences, sexual harassment, and even child abuse were very blunt topics that a lot of people are afraid to bring up and to talk about, which allowed for more in-depth reasoning and understanding of the #MeToo movement. Nontoxic masculinity in the #MeToo movement is shown as men listening to women and their experiences.

2. One point of disagreement was among rather or not men should be held accountable for negative actions or if the majority of men are actually able to assist in growing the movement in a positive way. Due to the fact that people come from a multitude of differing backgrounds, I do not believe that any side is right or wrong but rather that both could be used to benefit those affected by #MeToo.

3. I believe things such as occupation and illustrations of each speaker were included to highlight a differing perspective in each that could relate them to the movement to establish credibility while also influencing how the audience may view them by highlighting things the illustrator wanted to be noticed. I found Tarana Burke's to be most credible as she is the founder of the movement which therefore proves how she has applied herself towards it.

4. This ad presented the argument that toxic masculinity is a result of people not speaking up and following ways/societal pressures of the past without growing or developing they way men should treat each other and women. It offers a solution by acting out how men can step up and speak out by holding each other accountable and developing more positive influences with those around them.