Dad Writes About Toxic Masculinity And His Twitter Post Vent Viral In A Heartbeat

His son received tremendous support from all around the world.

Damjan

Published in Interesting
6 Apr 2020

Dad Writes About Toxic Masculinity And His Twitter Post Vent Viral In A Heartbeat

Toxic masculinity can show up in the smallest moments, and this story proves how fast a simple family post can explode online. Aaron, a dad who runs a parenting blog, wrote about his 5-year-old son Sam and the way other people reacted to the things he liked.

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Sam is the kind of kid who loves trucks, dirt, and hauling things around, but his interests did not fit the narrow idea some people had of what a boy should be. What followed was a painful mix of teasing, frustration, and a father trying to defend his child in public.

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Then Aaron shared the moment that pushed everything over the edge, and the response came fast.

Aaron works at a PR firm and also runs a parenting blog called "Daddy Files." He begins by explaining that Sam is what the world calls a "proper boy." He is a dirty-handed, truck-loving, sporty kid. However, he also makes choices that make him feel good. Regrettably, the world cannot understand those choices.

Aaron writes -

“This is my son, Sam. He’s 5. And today he learned how harmful and damaging #ToxicMasculinity is. My rage meter is spiking right now, so excuse me if this is a little raw, but there are some things I want to say about BS #gender norms (a thread)” “Toxic masculinity is a societal issue that harms not just men, but everyone who interacts with them.”

That post set the tone for everything that followed.