This is topic that came up on the debate team of my college this week. I guess traditional masculinity is male stereotypes like being strong and stuff. Do you guys think this has a bad impact on male mental health?
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I don’t think it is. If anything, it can be used as a motivator. When it starts becoming forced is when there’s a problem.
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Yeah. It’s very stereotypical and these days a lot of people say that they want a man that’s muscular, 6ft, etc, which can actually make a male that doesn’t have those features be potentially depressed. Their mental health might not be in the best state just because of what society thinks is essential for a man. 
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Maybe. It could cause them to have a low self esteem if they don’t fit those stereotypes.
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I agree with this.
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Man it can be bad for their mental health tbh. Especially when they find it really hard to open up to other people just because they’re men; it’s not healthy that they have to suppress themselves.
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I probably have no idea what I’m talking about, but I think the idea of traditional masculinity in itself isn’t harmful, but when it starts to become forced or toxic and when people feel they have to fit into this ideal, then it is harmful.
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Enforcing it? Hell yes. Some guys are just naturally more “masculine”, though, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It only becomes a problem when men are made to feel like they’re less of a man if they don’t conform to those expectations
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No it’s not. For me traditional masculinity is confidence, responsibility, competence and help to those who are weaker. I think these are good things. They don’t mean you have to act all tough and unbreakable.
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Yeah duh.
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I just appreciate when women have these qualities, too
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Of course.
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I idk if they’re masculine, if you know what I mean!
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They might not be only masculine, but they are typically associated with traditional masculinity.
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Yeah, they begin to paint the picture of traditional masculinity, but no on their own. There’s also things like being less emotional and being physically stronger, being the breadwinner, etc.
On their own, those qualities are just the qualities of a successful person!
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Exactly. It’s cool if you have those traits, but it’s perfectly fine if you don’t, too ^^
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It can be but it doesn’t necessarily have to. It depends on how much they try to fit those stereotypes and on how much fitting those stereotypes matters to the people around them 
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Bump! Added discussion tag. It definitely can be. I think it’s getting better, but I think many guys try to fit into this box that society put them in.
It depends on your attitude. Some people use it as a motivator, and some just feel bad from it.
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Bump!
Do you think that traditional masculinity could be good for some people?