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Stop using the term "extreme masculinity"

Link to article: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/crisis-extreme-masculinity-emma-thompson-male-behaviour-which-breeds-sexual-predators-1643017

I absolutely agree with everything Emma Thompson has said here, she's an incredible woman who understands this topic much more than I ever will. However, I have noticed that the term "extreme masculinity" being used not only here but often in other forms of recent media reporting regarding this subject, and it is sometimes used in a way to try and explain Weinstein/other sexual predators' behaviour.

Here is what I think; you can be the most alpha/macho/masculine man in the world but your level of masculinity should not be correlated to how likely you are to commit rape or sexual assault. Describing such behaviour as "extreme masculinity" may suggest that at some point in terms of levels masculinity, behaviour as sexual assualt will become more likely. I understand men are almost always the ones committing these sickening crimes however I don't believe that at any point rape and sexual assault should fall on to some sort of a masculinity spectrum. As someone who commits crimes such as sexual assault, your actions should fall on a scumbag spectrum, yes, but they should have nothing to do with how 'masculine' you are.

My other concern with the term "Extreme Masculinity" being used to describe the behaviour of rapists and sexual predators is that it seems to hint to some sort of a natural phenomenon, almost as a case of "boys being boys", but more so to an extreme - and in todays society we should not consider this sort of behaviour to be "masculine" in any way. I also want to make it clear I am sure that is not how Emma Thompson meant it in this video and that I am referring more so to the fact that this term has overall been used more frequently to try and describe the behaviours of the individuals who commit sexual assault.
If we are looking for terms that describe extreme masculinity, I suggest using it in cases where men actively speak up and stand up against sexual violence. Telling your mate he's being creepy when he won't leave a girl alone, making sure someone is ok on a night out and doing all that you can to prevent instances of sexual assault - that is what I think would be a more appropriate description the behaviours that exhibit 'extreme masculinity' in todays world.

Reply 1

999tigger

Never seen it used before.

Perhaps you should contact Emma and tell her your concerns and that she needs to stop.

Reply 2

AlexanderHam

Original post by latestarter1

Here is what I think; you can be the most alpha/macho/masculine man in the world but your level of masculinity should not be correlated to how likely you are to commit rape or sexual assault.

Nor should being more of a man be associated with laughable posturing and macho bulls-hit. A 'real' man doesn't feel the need to engage in the sort of puerile nonsense one sees from self-proclaimed "alphas".

And yes, I agree with the general tack of your comments. Rape and sexual assault are not expressions of "extreme masculinity"; women engage in sexual assaults too.

There's a very unhelpful narrative that goes something like this; "Men are animals, under the civilised surface they are basically rapists waiting to come out". Extreme feminists and misogynists both, oddly enough, seem to agree on that very degrading interpretation of what it means to be a man.

Reply 3

-Eirlys-

Debate & Current Affairs Helper

Moved to Society.

Reply 4

Picnic1

People like Emma Thompson will always enjoy painting cartoon caricatures of powerful men to draw attention away from how powerful they are themselves compared to other people.