‘Inoculate Boys Against Toxic Masculinity’: Exploring Discourses of Men and Masculinity in #Metoo Commentaries

Abstract

This article examines what discourses and assumed subject positions have emerged about men and masculinity in #MeToo debates. Using feminist critical discourse analysis and an exploratory approach to analyze 163 media articles, five key framings are noted: men are victims of masculinity requiring intervention, men are positioned as inherently ‘good’ or ‘bad’, boys and men are lost and need to be found, men are performative in their ‘awakenings’, and men’s take up of protector or allyship roles may in fact be attempts to be false heroes. The findings of this work note several tensions and contradictions that highlight an overall lack of coherency and agreement regarding men’s engagements with, and roles in, the #MeToo movement. These contradictions and tensions have implications for thinking about gender equality and gendered violence prevention initiatives.