Dismantling Toxic Masculinity: What We Must Do

After the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, we were once again left with a sense of shock at the impact of toxic masculinity upon the United States. 94% of mass shootings were perpetrated by males from 1980-2018. After all of these atrocities, we are left wondering what pushed these men to act out so violently. All the males who perpetrated these mass shootings have something else in common, besides their gender. They were all socially isolated, with no close friends or mentors.

Only 7% of the individuals who commit mass shootings are Hispanic, even though Hispanics make up over 18% of the national population. The Hispanic culture places a huge emphasis on family, known as familism. If we could invest in young children to show them the importance of sustained familial relationships, we could protect our society from lost individuals who feel as if they have to do something dramatic and violent to get the kind of attention they want. With stronger family relationships, we would also be able to better intervene in the lives of individuals who need mental health care.

Yes, we need to make it more difficult for Americans to access assault-style rifles. Yes, we need to institute universal background checks. Yes, we need to ban high-capacity magazines. But most importantly we need to invest in disengaged youths who don't see a path to success. We need to dismantle toxic masculinity and build a generation of men who aren’t afraid to openly discuss their emotions.