Polygon Interview: Toxic Masculinity In Video Games (Ugh)

[o_O.Q]

Jaicee said:

o_O.Q said:

 

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

 

"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

There are more questions above than I have time to respond to this morning, so I'll just offer the summarized version: everyone who is female knows good and well that our socialization process is radically different from that of our male counterparts, particularly as it relates to the question of violence.

It is also just self-evident that the treatment of aggressive behavior breaks down substantially along the lines of whether one is male or female. A man who engages toxic behavior (as we call it) will possibly be faulted for an excess of machismo (being too manly) or otherwise just excused with an expression like "boys will be boys", while a woman who does the same will instead by labeled something like a "bitch", which refers to a female dog, i.e. sub-human. There exists a definite difference of gradations here. Even right here on this very thread, the fictional character Lara Croft has been described as "masculine" by one person because of her role as an action character. Not even fictional women are excepted!

Think: Why until recently have women been forbidden to say join the military? Why is it usually men who own firearms? Why are 90% of the participants in street gangs male? Because aggressive, even violent, behavior is considered more acceptable for men than for women. It's regarded as a necessity for men to be protectors, so those impulses have to be validated on some level for men. You see what I'm getting at?

"everyone who is female knows good and well that our socialization process is radically different from that of our male counterparts, particularly as it relates to the question of violence."

yes but would that not be expected if you acknowledge that men and women are not the same?

or are you coming at the world from the perspective that men and women are the same?

 

" A man who engages toxic behavior (as we call it) will possibly be faulted"

you're confusing "toxic" with "aggression" again and i'd like to reiterate that repression and passivity is very often a larger problem

but regardless what if a man is considered to be too sensitive? he's called a pussy right? but you don't apparently consider that to be dehumanising

 

"the fictional character Lara Croft has been described as "masculine" by one person because of her role as an action character. Not even fictional women are excepted!"

do you think perhaps there is a logical reason? such as explorers typically being men?

 

"Why until recently have women been forbidden to say join the military?"

because they had difficulty passing the fitness tests

i don't agree with the labelling of this video but regardless a woman from the military talks at length about this here

 

"Why is it usually men who own firearms? Why are 90% of the participants in street gangs male? Because aggressive, even violent, behavior is considered more acceptable for men than for women. "

first off women are overwhelmingly the ones who vote for gun control and tighter controls on violence

secondly maybe its simply that women are less inclined to pursue violence as a problem solving method for various reasons, the main one being men being stronger and as a result more likely to win in physical confrontation with a woman

do you acknowledge that there is a difference in size and strength between men and women? if you do, is it from your perspective caused by socialisation?

Last edited by o_O.Q - on 01 May 2018