We live in a world where every burly guy with a backbone gets slapped with the "toxic masculinity" label faster than you can say "safe space." UFC boss Dana White just delivered a verbal haymaker on 60 Minutes. When the host floated the idea that his male-dominated empire might be veering into "too much" masculinity, White laughed it off: "How can somebody be too masculine? Is that a possibility? Can you be too masculine? ... No. The answer is hell no." Boom. In one fell swoop, White called out the absurdity of a term that's become feminist academia's favourite cudgel. But here's the real question: Why do we hear endless lectures on "toxic masculinity" while "toxic femininity" or the darker sides of feminism get a free pass? It's time to skewer this one-sided narrative and demand some balance. Let's unpack why the feminist line on masculinity is not just flawed, it's hypocritical.
The 'Toxic Masculinity' Trope: Overhyped, Overused, and Overblown
First off, what's this bogeyman even supposed to mean? According to the experts, "toxic masculinity" refers to harmful behaviours rooted in exaggerated traditional male roles, like violence, dominance, emotional suppression, and sexual entitlement. Sounds serious, right? But dig deeper, and it's often wielded like a blunt instrument to shame anything remotely "manly." UFC fighters trading punches in the octagon? Toxic. Dads teaching their sons to tough it out? Toxic. Even enjoying a steak and a beer with the boys? Yep, that's apparently a gateway to patriarchy's dark side.
Critics, and there are plenty, argue the term's become a catch-all slur that pathologises normal male traits while ignoring context. As one scholarly takedown puts it, for traits to be "toxic," they must actually harm people, not just offend progressive sensibilities. Yet feminists trot it out to explain everything from school shootings to bad dates, conveniently forgetting that most men aren't rampaging through life like cartoon villains. White nailed it: Can you really be "too masculine"? In a society crying out for strong protectors, providers, and leaders, the answer's a resounding no. This isn't about defending abusers, it's about rejecting the idea that masculinity itself is the problem.
And let's be real: The term's origins in feminist theory (popularised in the '80s by folks like Shepherd Bliss) were meant to critique extremes, but it's morphed into a tool for cultural emasculation. Media loves it, think endless op-eds blaming "toxic masculinity" for men's mental health crises while ignoring how the stigma against seeking help stems from... wait for it... the same cultural pressures feminists decry. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy: Demonise men for being stoic, then wonder why they bottle up emotions.
The Elephant in the Room: Toxic Femininity Exists, But Crickets from Feminists
Now, flip the script. If we're so quick to dissect "toxic" male behaviours, why the radio silence on toxic femininity? Spoiler: It exists, and it's just as insidious. Defined as internalised misogyny where women enforce harmful stereotypes on themselves and others to appeal to men or maintain power, it includes sl*t-shaming, sabotaging other women, or equating femininity with helplessness and manipulation. Examples abound: Women mocking stay-at-home mums as "unambitious," or using tears and vulnerability as weapons in arguments (hello, weaponised weakness). Reddit threads explode with stories of "mean girl" tactics, discrediting other women's achievements, body-shaming, or gatekeeping motherhood like it's an exclusive club.
Even pop culture's catching on. The 2023 Barbie movie sparked debates over "toxic femininity" in characters who embody passive-aggressive perfectionism or rivalry disguised as sisterhood. And don't get us started on how some feminists enable this: Waves of the movement have focused so laser-like on male "oppression" that they've ignored intra-female toxicity. As one critique notes, "toxic femininity" often manifests as rage against women who succeed "too much," revealing resentment baked into the ideology. Why no TED Talks on how women exploiting chivalry drains men's resources? Or how "girl boss" culture pressures women into burnout while vilifying work-life balance as "settling"?
The hypocrisy shines brightest in discussions of feminism itself. Radical strains promote man-hating as empowerment, think quotes like "men are trash" trending on social media without backlash. Yet when men push back, it's "fragile masculinity." Feminism's third wave and beyond promised equality, but often delivers selective outrage: Call out male aggression? Heroic. Critique female entitlement? Misogynist. White's free speech defence hits here too, he's all for protecting "hate speech" because cancelling "dumb" stuff destroys lives. Feminists could learn: Their echo chambers silence dissent, turning the movement toxic.
Double Standards in the Culture Wars: Why the Skew?
This asymmetry isn't accidental, it's ideological. Feminist theory frames patriarchy as the root evil, so male behaviours get the microscope while female ones slide as "reactions" to oppression. But in 2025, with men facing higher suicide rates, dropping college enrolment, and societal disdain, it's time to call BS. X is buzzing with praise for White's clip: Users hail him as a "real man" dismantling woke nonsense, with posts mocking the interviewer's floundering response. One viral take: "Dana White is the only man in that room."
Meanwhile, discussions of toxic femininity stay niche, BuzzFeed lists and Quora threads, but no mainstream campaigns. Feminists argue it's "not equivalent" because women lack systemic power, but that dodges accountability. True equality means owning flaws on both sides.
Time for a Rematch: Celebrate Healthy Traits, Ditch the Labels
Dana White didn't just defend UFC, he defended unapologetic masculinity in a wussified world. We need more of that: Men who build, protect, and lead without apology. But let's extend the courtesy, call out toxic femininity too, from manipulative games to intra-gender sabotage. Feminism's line has skewed the conversation, turning gender into a battlefield where only one side takes hits. White's right: No such thing as "too masculine." And if we're honest, no movement's immune to toxicity. Let's aim for balance, or risk a culture where everyone's "toxic" except the ideologues calling the shots.
https://www.theblaze.com/fearless/dana-white-toxic-masculinity-cbs