It’s annoying that people think this though because literally nobody that isn’t a gross TERF or something like it has ever said that masculinity itself is bad. Nobody thinks it’s wrong to be assertive or self-sufficient? Idk it just seems like a huge strawman and I’m over it at this point. It just seems like a way for right wingers and their sympathizers to whine about progressivism some more. I mean it used to be that women couldn’t be assertive without being called “bitchy” but we’re at a point where it seems silly to think certain traits are exclusive to any gender. Because people are more than their gender. That’s what it’s all about.

Nobody thinks masculinity itself is negative. That’s kind of the whole point. Like, the entire point is that masculinity is beautiful without being mean to those weaker than you. Or suppressing emotions because one thinks that’s what makes a man. It’s beautiful without having to force everyone to conform to one presentation of it. It’s beautiful because when you tone down the parts that insist on treating women like property and “might makes right”, stifling anything about themselves that might be perceived as “feminine”, people are able to be free and express themselves. People are able to actually relax. How many times have men been called the f-slur for just crying? What about for wearing nice clothes, grooming themselves, wearing jewelry? There was a post the other day about a dude getting harassed by bigots for having long hair because they just assumed dude was gay.

Nobody wants to take away masculinity. The entire point is that there isn’t one single expression of it. Dismantling gender norms is about not forcing people to have to be a certain way because of their plumbing. Like maybe if one’s whole personality is how to perform their gender “properly” they should pick up some other hobbies because human beings are so much more than that. It’s getting more and more frustrating to keep seeing this sentiment echoed. It just seems like the sort of thing folks would say if they don’t actually understand the movement and this isn’t pointed at you btw. There are a lot of people who think this and take a wild guess where it’s coming from lol