Towards a better masculinity

It should come as no surprise that Bangladesh is still a deeply patriarchal society, where toxic masculinity is so pervasive that people generally turn a blind eye to it. And, for too long, these toxic traits in men have been viewed as not only acceptable, but heroic and admirable. At the core, some of our values and traditions are to blame, as they are usually based on the assumption that men have a natural authority over women, an assumption that, by now, the civilised world knows to be wrong, because it is absurd for any human being to own another. But these underlying, faulty assumptions continue to survive in the guise of social norms, which are almost exempt from reevaluation and examination. All of this could be gradually reversed, however, if we change the representation of masculinity in the media. In our culture, men are commonly represented as being aggressive, assertive, and even remorseless, while women are depicted as either timid and fragile, or -- as if to justify their oppression -- cast in an unflattering light where they are scheming and manipulative. Such stereotypes are equally damaging to both genders, because they create unfounded prejudices, leading to discrimination, and thus act as a major hindrance to the harmonious co-existence of men and women. It is time for us to redefine masculinity by shining a light on men who display empathy, understanding, and responsibility, and our media can play an important role in that regard.