American Psychological Association Deems ‘Traditional Masculinity Harmful’

The American Psychological Association released a set of guidelines for physicians who work with boys and men where they marked traditional masculinity as “harmful.”

According to the APA, traditional masculinity ideology condones behaviors of “anti-femininity, achievement, eschewal of the appearance of weakness, and adventure, risk, and violence.”

Simply put, in an article published by the APA after the release of the Guidelines for Psychological Practice With Boys and Men, “The main thrust of the subsequent research is that traditional masculinity—marked by stoicism, competitiveness, dominance and aggression—is, on the whole, harmful.”

Lifesite News reports that the study finds that if men are “socialized in this way” they are “less likely to engage in healthy behaviors.” 

The study notes that traditionally masculine men are less likely to share their emotions, less likely to care for their mental and physical health and are at a higher risk to commit suicide. The guidelines also touch on gender binaries. Ryon McDermott, Ph.D., who helped draft the guidelines asked, “What is gender in the 2010s?” He answered, “It’s no longer just this male-female binary.”

According to the study, traditional masculinity is viewed as a negative thing because men could feel forced to suppress “gender-nonconforming” feelings which can lead…