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Cited by 227Gender and Feminist StudiesGender Roles and Identity StudiesGender, Sexuality, and Education

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 21 of the 21 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

What is “Toxic Masculinity” and Why Does it Matter?

Open access
Harrington, Carol·2021·Men and Masculinities
DOI 10.1177/1097184x20943254
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Abstract

Coined in late 20th-century men’s movements, “toxic masculinity” spread to therapeutic and social policy settings in the early 21st century. Since 2013, feminists began attributing misogyny, homophobia, and men’s violence to toxic masculinity. Around the same time, feminism enjoyed renewed popularization. While some feminist scholars use the concept, it is often left under-defined. I argue that talk of toxic masculinity provides an intriguing window into gender politics in any given context. However, feminists should not adopt toxic masculinity as an analytical concept. I consider the term’s origins, history, and usage, arguing that it appears in individualizing discourses that have historically targeted marginalized men. Thus, accusations of toxic masculinity often work to maintain gender hierarchies and individualize responsibility for gender inequalities to certain bad men.

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Crossref · 10.1177/1097184x20943254

Cites

21 of 21 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Citations

Cites

Show all 21 references

Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Connell Raewyn W., 1995, Masculinities
  2. Gross D., 1990, The New Republic; Washington, 202, 11
  3. McGinley A. C., 2018, Stanford Law Review Online, 71, 49
  4. Sommers Christina Hoff, 2003, The American Enterprise; Washington, 14, 4
  5. Valenti Jessica, 2014, The Guardian. August, 25

Cited by

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Metadata

Authors
Harrington, C.
Affiliations
Victoria University of Wellington (NZ)
Corresponding author
Harrington, Carol
ORCID
Harrington, Carol
Venue
Men and Masculinities
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2020-07-17
Volume
24
Issue
2
Pages
345-352
ISSN
  • 1097-184X (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-6828
DOI
10.1177/1097184x20943254
OpenAlex
W3042904385
Cited by
227
References
21
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 42 · 2024: 57 · 2023: 53 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 11
FWCI
37.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Men and Masculinities (publishedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Victoria University of Wellington
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender and Feminist Studies
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Roles and Identity Studies
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Sexuality, and Education
Keywords
toxic masculinity, feminist theory, men's movement, misogyny, homophobia, male violence, gender politics, individualization, gender hierarchy, gender inequality

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