When people say things like boys need to be ‘strong’ and ‘tough’, and girls need to be ‘gentle’ and ‘kind’, these are very 'black and white' views which aren't realistic or true. In reality, to be a decent human being, you can have all of these traits!
Masculinity describes the behaviours and psychological traits that we typically see and associate with men and boys and the word 'toxic' means harmful. The opposite of toxic masculinity is healthy masculinity.
Watch our vodcast about toxic masculinity, and read the accompanying article then test your knowledge with our healthy masculinity quiz below. You have four minutes to uncover as many of the healthy traits as you can.
If you need support
You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.
If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.
World of Wellbeing: What is toxic masculinity?
Wellbeing and education influencer Kit Brown and Dr T break down what toxic masculinity means, how it manifests and discuss toxic vs healthy masculinity.
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Ami Charlize and Radio 1’s Dr Radha chat through what you can do if you're feeling worried or anxious.
World of Wellbeing: How to find yourself
Wellbeing and education influencer Kit Brown and Dr T find out why your brain is wired to want to belong and how to figure out your values, what's important to you and find your people.
