Polygon Interview: Toxic Masculinity In Video Games (Ugh)

[o_O.Q]

Jaicee said:

o_O.Q said:

"The same people who deny the existence of masculine toxicity"

do you believe that feminine toxicity exists? and if so how would you define it?

 

"are proposing that detractors to their political line "need to die""

what political line are you referring to?

To answer your first question, what we would call toxic behavior certainly exists among women. I participate in it sometimes, tbh. :P But it is not considered feminine behavior. It is not considered "womanly" or "ladylike". Aggressive behavior from men is written off and excused as genetically-rooted and inevitable. ("Boys will be boys", after all.) Aggressive behavior from women, by contrast, is considered unnatural and unacceptable, and thus are women expected to control ourselves a great deal more than our male counterparts. One sees manifestations of this reality all the time, perhaps the starkest of which is the simple fact that some 80% of all violent crimes in the U.S., for example, are committed by men. For women, violence tends to be considered an unacceptable recourse even in self-defense. (One does not fight. One calls upon a man to defend them from the threat of death.)

To answer your second question, my quoted reference was to a post made by John220 on page 5.

 

toxicity isn't only expressed as aggression, repression is also toxic and actually to me its in some ways far more harmful than aggression

many serious mental illnesses for example are caused by people repressing themselves or repressing others are causing others to repress themselves

 

"Aggressive behavior from women, by contrast, is considered unnatural and unacceptable"

is that really true though?

i've never actually seen women get criticised for using violence

do you think perhaps this could be the result of people acknowledging that since men are typically stronger they can cause more damage and as a result they are kept on a shorter leash?

 

"and thus are women expected to control ourselves a great deal more than our male counterparts."

ok lets say women started becoming more violent and attacked men more often... how do you think that would pan out for women?

 

" For women, violence tends to be considered an unacceptable recourse even in self-defense."

can i get examples of where you are getting this from? because again i've never seen someone criticise the use of violence by women

i mean i don't think i have to really go and get various links demonstrating the obvious fact that the use of violence by men against women is viewed as abhorrent in our society

Last edited by o_O.Q - on 01 May 2018