Mass shooting cases are widely discussed in the United States, yet sentencing criminals and applying preventative measures do not decrease these severe offenses. In searching for the root causes, social interpretation of masculinity has been analyzed to reveal that boys are often unable to express themselves due to the manhood stereotypes. The aggression men hoard exceeded the limits they could carry and leads to severe actions like mass shootings.
In response to this serious social phenomenon, journalists from various professional backgrounds researched different perspectives of the causes and outcomes of the incorrect perception of masculinity. For example, Michael Ian Black, in the article “The Boys Are Not All Right” (2018), discusses that the masculinity model is outdated, while boys are still being affected by its false explanations of strength and invulnerability. The author developed the writing based on the Florida school mass shooting that occurred in February 2018, where a boy killed 17 people. The article’s main topic reflects that while feminism allows girls to express themselves fully, boys experience the opposite as they are locked into the borders of masculine stereotypes. Black (2018) explains that “boys are trapped in the suffocating model of masculinity, where manhood is measured in strength with no way to be vulnerable, and manliness is about having power over others.” Severe events like shootings appear due to the inability to be heard or show weakness which leads to the aggression increase, and men use the externalizing approach to get rid of it.
To explore the reasons for mass shootings and their relationship to masculinity, the authors study crimes based on regions and discuss the findings with psychology and sociology professionals. For example, Phillip Reese, in the article “When Masculinity Turns Toxic: A Gender Profile of Mass Shootings” (2019), describes the mass shootings in California, and applies gender-based statistics that reveal the men’s domination in these offenses. The author’s conversations with professors submit the main topic as they provide evidence that men who commit murder tend to feel a fundamental diminishing of their masculinity (Reese). Moreover, the article recommends reviewing how masculinity is being portrayed by media and in boys’ education. Reese (2019) states that to decrease mass shootings, society must “emphasize reducing “toxic masculinity,” the pernicious societal norm that being a man means “you can’t show emotion, seek help, be fully human, be vulnerable.” It is crucial to identify the conditions and triggers that lead men to aggressive self-expression such as shootings to eliminate the root causes of its misinterpretation towards the younger generations.
Masculinity in its toxic variation is also applied as a cause for mass shootings in the columns explaining people’s motivation to kill. Indeed, Clarence Page, in the article “What Role Does Toxic Masculinity Play in Mass Shootings?” (2019), discusses that although severe mental conditions presented as motivation, most of the shooters were white heterosexual men with no diseases. The author’s research revealed that the killers are often affected by the middle-class instability, inability to have benefits given to diverse groups’ representatives, and demand to fit the social perception of masculinity. Page (2019) states that “whether it is hatred, mental illness or confusing lessons about the meaning of manhood, we need to find ways to prevent that trigger from being pulled.” The article highlights that toxic masculinity is preventable, and it must be addressed to eliminate social issues and decrease the number of aggressive crimes.
Boys develop particular expectations from society about manhood’s outcomes such as admiration and women’s attention. However, the modern world does not promise that masculine behavior causes these benefits, and men face rejection and the inability to express emotions due to outdated standards. Writers continue a discussion of the aggressiveness based on toxic masculinity by pointing the attention to misogynist terrorism. For example, Jessica Valenti, in the article “When Misogynists Become Terrorists” (2018), describes the men’s movements that promote aggressive sexism, rape, and claims that women owe to obey them. The author explains that toxic masculinity that does not meet the expected outcomes like female attention grows into aggression that is being expressed by abuse and murder. Valenti (2018) explains that “American culture still largely sees men’s sexism as something innate rather than deviant; the misogynist tendencies of mass shooters become afterthoughts rather than predictable and stark warnings.” Moreover, the presence of hate towards women influences the younger generations and makes boys think that they will not be men without a constant showing of strength and dominance.
Various perspectives of viewing masculinity as a cause of mass shootings reveal the critical role social stereotypes and biases play in self-perception. Writers argue that American society needs to urgently address the masculinity issue and help men eliminate their fears of showing vulnerability or weakness. The feminism movement profoundly impacted women’s ability to feel comfortable in the modern world, and the male half equally deserves to express human nature. The way men are being portrayed requires revision because the switches in how the media and historical examples represent “heroes” will help the younger generations avoid committing crimes like mass shootings.
References
Black, Michael Ian. “The Boys Are Not All Right.” The New York Times, 2018.
Page, Clarence. “What Role Does Toxic Masculinity Play in Mass Shootings?” The Chicago Tribune, 2019.
Reese, Phillip. “When Masculinity Turns Toxic: A Gender Profile of Mass Shootings.” The Los Angeles Times, 2019.
Valenti, Jessica. “When Misogynists Become Terrorists.” The New York Times, 2018.