Is positive male empowerment possible in today's society? (pic)
I know I'm treading some rather turbid waters with this line of discussion. Let me first say that I'm not talking about men's right movements or any of that bull, which I do feel is largely bullshit. Certainly in terms of men needing more rights, we could not be more privileged. There are a few minor exceptions perhaps here or there but not enough to build a "rights" movement around. Rights are still very much a woman's struggle as it should be. In this respect men's rights movements feel more like racist arguments for the existence of "reverse racism" etc.
But what I am interested in talking about is personal empowerment. Specifically within the context of assuming that while gender fluidity needs to be MUCH more broadly accepted, I'm assuming that we are not doing away with the concept of gender entirely. I know some may argue against that, which is a valid argument to have.
The thing is that toxic masculinity while it harms women much more directly and profoundly in terms of the rape culture that we accept. It also deeply harms men in a sinister but very closely related manner. It undermines the self empowerment of both genders by telling people that unless you conform to these narrowly defined crude, crass standards then you should feel there is something wrong with you. You need to hide your light.
Pushing back against this for years has been the sexual and self empowerment of women. And I think that is an amazingly positive thing that needs to continue. But I feel at times, sometimes lost is the self empowerment of young men. Now I want to be careful with how I say this because men in our society are born into a role where they are expected to be self empowered, indeed overbearingly empowered, from birth. So I'm not talking about teaching boys to feel "powerful" but instead feel "good about themselves". This is a message that I feel does get lost. It's a tricky one to approach in this day and age though as one needs to very carefully tease it apart from and separate it from "male power" which is the toxic substance.
I saw this image recently that sums all this up so well IMHO. I don't know how many reading this will agree with me, and how many will disagree. Perhaps you feel this simply furthers the patriarchy. That's not the message I get.
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I know your post was simply meant to be humorous and no more. I'm not suggesting anything else. But noting that this is part of the negative male role model. Instead of empowering you, it says there must be something wrong with you if you can't get it up. 
