It doesn’t just stop with marginalising LGBTQ+ and women. Straight men are harmed by the toxic masculinity that discourages emotional expression, connection, and tenderness.
Adolescence showed that the anxiety and anger about what it is to be a “man” can start early. The TV show Adolescence reminds us that it is wrong to frame boys as threats.
How can we help boys to avoid radicalisation? What can we do to reach boys without making them stereotypes?
The effects of children’s fiction on the development of empathy may not be obvious, but taking the literature of young adults seriously as well as looking at the representation of masculinity could help.
My research drew upon feminist philosophy in order to suggest three concepts that can be used to rethink masculinity. These are relationality, vulnerability and inclination. These ideals are already found in books like Two Boys Kissing, by David Levithan, or Rick Riordan’s urban fantasy Magnus Chase and The Gods of Asgard.
This concept is called inclination. It reflects a desire to foster a curious, caring attitude toward differences, and a willingness “to lean in”, rather than to stand apart. To paraphrase Italian feminist philosopher Adriana Cavaero, inclination is the courage of falling down the slippery slope that leads to love, friendship, and emotional bonds. According to my understanding, the inclination drives people towards caring for others and connecting with the outside world.
Magnus Chase & the Gods of Asgard demonstrates Inclination, combining exciting adventure with emotional depth. Magnus Chase is an adolescent male hero, who is kind, loving, and motivated by his love of friends.
Rick Riordan
The series features a wide range of characters, including deaf elves, Muslim American women warriors, and genderfluid potters. It is a great way to learn about intersectionality, or the idea that we are all part of many social groups.
Riordan’s boy protagonists, including Percy Jackson and Jason Grace (also in the Percy Jackson universe), rely on allies of both genders. They aren’t threatened by women who have their own opinions.
The brave women show their vulnerability, while also respecting that of the others. And if they don’t – like the protagonist of The Trials of Apollo – it’s because they’re written as caricatures of self-aggrandising, hyper-individualistic masculinity.
Queer Fiction Redefining Masculinity
Relationality refers to the notion that people are not formed in isolation, but rather through their relationships. The concept of relationality acknowledges our diverse environments and stresses that differences are to be valued, not overlooked. A person who views themselves as relational will focus their efforts on cultivating an ethical commitment that honours, not exploits, others’ vulnerabilities.
Egmont Books Ltd
Two Boys Kissing is a great example of this. It follows several teenage queer protagonists, as they discover friendship, love and their own identity. The chorus of voices in the book is what makes it so remarkable: the collective voice of gay males whose lives ended during the HIV/Aids outbreak.
They watch the boys who are alive with urgency and tenderness. The narrators become an attentive, caring presence which transcends space and time. These relationships provide continuity among generations and people, and show that our personal lives are important.
The condition that all humans share is being born of another human body. All of us are finite, fragile and susceptible to loss, harm and injustice. Our fragility, and our dependence on others can transform into resilience and connection. It is particularly true when we recognize the different experiences of disenfranchisement we all face.
Two Boys Kissing features a chorus of voices that celebrates imperfect, cisgender and trans bodies. These imperfections defy unrealistic beauty standards. The narrators whisper encouraging words to an isolated teen who is contemplating suicide, and they agonise about his pain. Care, intimacy and love aren’t signs of weakness. They show strength by affirming that they don’t. Levithan’s readers will learn from these voices that reaching out and caring for others is the best way to achieve self-acceptance.
Vulnerability, relationality and inclination, when strategically integrated in stories, educational practices, and everyday interactions can help us draw new ethical horizons. This is not just for masculinity, but also for gendered life as a entire.
Literature will never solve all our problems. Literature will not make us better overnight. Stories are culturally powerful tools. These stories can teach boys that strength doesn’t necessarily mean being cold-hearted, or that taking care of others does not indicate a lack of compassion.
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