Let's talk about Toxic Masculinity. How can we create a safer culture for all?
There's street parking on Steele. I'll post a "here's how to find us" when we land. We spend the first 30 minutes catching up with new and old friends, and will start our conversation around 5:30pm. The group size is small to allow a slower paced, more thoughtful conversation.
At the Sci-Fi Book Club we read, The Echo Wife, a book referencing cloning. When the discussion turned to "would you want a clone of yourself?", something clicked and I thought "that is a bad bad bad idea" and not for reasons the others were talking about.
For those who have met me, I'm a big guy, shaved head, and often people think I'm a cop or similar. I can walk into an area and suddenly conversations go quiet. I tell folks it's because I project "warm fuzzy cuddlies", but there is something and it's not good. I don't think it's me as such, once folks get to know me, I become "safe". But there is absolutely something that teaches people to feel a sense of danger around someone like me. I didn't want my clone to suffer that, it can be cruel, or worse, for my clone to embrace it, and become the type of thing to fear.
I remember the "man or bear" discussion earlier this year, and it's counterpart "would you rather share your feelings with a woman or a brick wall?". Those questions point to challenges we have not overcome.
Does a young man suffering abuse activate some "I will never allow myself to be weak again" mode? If they can't constructively find strength, do they turn to other ways to "feel strong"? Doing things that cause harm and fuel the cycle?
As society do we have a "men don't really have feelings" view where we neglect people, tell them to suck it up, and expect that to work out?
Let's gather to ponder, share insights and ideas, explore perspectives and learn.
On my end, I'm hoping to better understand myself and why I'm viewing things the way I do. Learning new ideas and different ways to think about the world.
