Toxic Masculinity

A report by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (2023) indicates that the most common perceived stigma that keeps skilled trades apprentices from accessing substance use supports is fear of the potential reaction from their workplace as:

of respondents would be afraid of the consequences if their employer found out	would be afraid of their colleagues and employer judging them
said that needing to seek help would make them feel like they were not strong enough to do something about it on their own	said they would be afraid of friends and family finding out that they are seeking support

A harmful view of tradespeople is that given the nature of their profession, they must be ‘tough’ and ‘strong’ and can’t show any ‘weakness’ because their future livelihood depends on this, which in some cases can be internalized. Internalizing these harmful perceptions makes an individual more vulnerable to negative health outcomes (e.g., workplace accidents and injuries), and perpetuates the personification of toxic masculinity (Howe et al., 2023).

Toxic masculinity is defined as both a set of attitudes and ways of behaving that are stereotypically associated with and/or expected of men (i.e., offensive and harmful beliefs and behaviours). In terms of toxic masculinity, toughness and strength are valued whereas mental health conditions and seeking out help are seen as personal weaknesses. This type of socialization encourages competition between men, creates conflict between men and women, and breeds homophobia (American Psychological Association, 2018). It is harmful at both the identity and relational levels as it imposes mentalities and behaviours that can negatively impact one’s self-esteem and limit interpersonal relationships and social ties (Government of Quebec, 2021).

There are three core parts to toxic masculinity (Parkhill & Ray, 2021):

A study of men aged 18-25 found that the more that men conformed to masculine norms that fall under toxic masculinity (i.e., emotional control, self-reliance, and heterosexual representation), the less likely they were to exhibit help-seeking behaviour (Maher, 2022). One of the main risks for conforming to these toxic masculinity norms is suicide, indicating that conformity to these traits puts men at a higher risk of suicidal ideation (Maher, 2022).

Common toxic masculinity phrases that can be seen in the skilled trades includes:

• Telling classmates or colleagues to “man up”, “get over it”, or “stop being a baby” in hazardous situations
• Using the phrases “don’t be such a girl” “or “men don’t cry” when any emotions arise
• Justifying inappropriate behaviour with “boys will be boys”
• Using the words “tomboy” or “princess” to describe a woman in the trades

Toxic masculinity can prevent men from recognizing their own mental health and wellbeing needs and it can discourage them from seeking out support when it’s needed. Creating an environment within the trades that allows men to shed these toxic masculinity behaviours, learn and lean into their emotional and relational skills, and change their behavioral patterns allows them to thrive both personally and professionally. Providing support and encouragement towards emotional expression and open discussion challenges toxic masculinity and provides space for engaging in help-seeking behaviours.