Being a young boy growing up to be a man can be quite interesting, going from playing in the sandbox to learning how to shave.

Learning the steps to become a man can become quite challenging who didn’t grow up to have a father or a positive male role model to look up to.

Some people have different ways to teach men how to be men some take the gentle route by showing them more compassion and letting them express how they feel on the inside.

Other people show men how to men by showing strength, being tough, and to not cry in front of people, and never expressing any weakness.

The ones who choose not to show any kind of weakness or showing dominance would be considered to give toxic masculinity vibes.

To be clear the definition of toxic masculinity is an attitude or set of social guidelines stereotypically associated with all manliness that often have a negative impact on men, women and society.

In society today most people will say that toxic masculinity is common, men show assertiveness towards other men.

Brandon Jenkins a 26-year-old student from CSUDH began to say his spill on what toxic masculinity is.

“Some things that were taught to us as kids are not true,” Jenkins said, “Like objectifying women, having multiple sexual partners don’t make more masculine, being able to fight good doesn’t make you any masculine.”

Jenkins proceeded to say more on the subject, “I think its detrimental if its not masculinity isn’t taught right, specifically black males were taught to have a hard might set, to be portrayed as a gangster if you want to call it.”

He strongly believes that toxic traits from toxic masculinity can turn deadly beyond measure because men who think like that won’t back down from a fight just to prove that they aren’t weak.

A bit extreme but one can see his point, no one in their right mind wants to have violence amongst others, especially if it is over something foolish such as being tough in front of people.

On the other hand, you have people who think toxic masculinity is nonsense like 24-year-old Mary Marques, who wants men to be more masculine rather than feminine.

“It’s not toxic for a man to act natural but there are some men who are more sensitive than others,” she said, “I feel like them just being themselves shouldn’t be deemed as toxic.”

Marques thinks that men should be the protector and believes that men and women have different roles in society and wants men to have some kind of bravery so she can feel that stability.