Heart-Wrenching Comic Is A Valuable Lesson On Toxic Masculinity

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Ada Elder
Mar 20, 2020 7:00 PM EDT

If you're unfamiliar with the term "toxic masculinity," this post is for you. As most people know, we're a huge fan of webcomics. But a webcomic that teaches the world about important issues? That's where Luke Humphris comes in. The artist manages to present a primer on toxic masculinity that is heartfelt, sympathetic, and very, very personal. Men need to know that it is okay to feel and express things that fall outside of patriarchal norms. If you like what you see here, consider donating to Humphris' Patreon. 

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  • 01
    webcomic - Cartoon - 'TOXIC MASCULINITY' IS A POPULAR & CONTROVERSIAL TERM RIGHT NoW IN CONTEMPORARY CULTURE, BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN? THE GENERAL MISCONCEPTION I HEAR IS THAT IT MEANS 'MASCULINITY TOXICITY', WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE CASE. TOXIC MASCULINITY IS ACTUALLY A SOCIAL SCIENCE TERM DESCRIBING SOME PRETTY NEGATIVE SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE MALE GENDER ROLE
    via Luke Humphris
  • 02
    webcomic - Cartoon - IT'S HOW A PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY IS HARMFUL TO MEN BY DENYING UNMASCULINE TRAITS AND REWARDING ANGER, VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTIVE HABITS LEFT UNATTENDED, TOXIC MASCULINITY CAN CAUSE MEN TO HURT THEMSELVES OR OTHERS. LET ME SHOW YOU HOW IT'S AFFECTED ME
    via Luke Humphris
  • 03
    webcomic - Text - MY BROTHER AND I WERE TOLD WHEN WE WERE VERY YOUNG NOT TO CRY OVER BANGED UP KNEES OR HURT FEELINGS. IN FACT, THERE NEVER WAS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO CRY. THERE CAME A SILENT PRIDE IN BEING RESILIENT
    via Luke Humphris
  • 04
    webcomic - Cartoon - HOBBIES THAT WERE PERCEIVED AS FEMININE LIKE COOKING, DANCING AND SINGING WERE MET WITH A FEW LAUGHS BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, SO WE STOPPED DOING THEM HAMR HAAM I BECAME EMBARRASSED ABOUT MY INTERESTS BEFORE I'D EVEN SHARED THEM. IF I FELT THEY WERE NOT MASCULINE, I WOULD KEEP THEM TO MYSELF.
    via Luke Humphris
  • 05
    webcomic - Cartoon - INA BAD RELATIONSHIP AS AN ADULT, I RECEIVED A BLACK EYE ANDA SPLIT LIP I WAS OPEN WITH A FEW PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED NO ONE OFFERED HELP, IT FELT IMPLIED THAT IT WAS MY OWN INEPTITUDE WHICH LET IT HAPPEN
    via Luke Humphris
  • 06
    webcomic - Text - WHEN I HIT MY LOWEST POINT - DRINKING TOO MUCH, STAYING IN BED ALL DAY -- I EMAILED MY DAD TO EXPLAIN I WAS STUCK AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT THE ANSWER WAS JUST TO BE STRONG PUTTING UP A TOUGH EXTERIOR IS A GREAT WAY TO MAKE PEOPLE NOT WORRY ABOUT YOU, BUT THAT IS ALL IT DOES
    via Luke Humphris
  • 07
    webcomic - Cartoon - AND THEN THERE WAS MY BIG BROTHER WHOI LOOKED UP TO. IN MY EYES HE WAS SUPERIOR -- STRONGER I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS SUFFERING, HE NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT HIS TROUBLES
    via Luke Humphris
  • 08
    webcomic - Violet - HE TOOK HIS OWN LIFE
    via Luke Humphris
  • 09
    webcomic - Cartoon - AT THE FUNERAL I HEARD MY GRANDFATHER TELL MY DAD TO TOUGHEN UP AND BE STRONG EVEN AT YOUR OWN SON'S FUNERAL IT WAS UNACCEPTABLE TO MOURN OR LET IT OUT
    via Luke Humphris
  • 10
    webcomic - Text - EVEN AT HIS AGE, DAD WAS STILL ENCOURAGED TO BURY IT
    via Luke Humphris
  • 11
    webcomic - Text - AND THAT IS TOXIC
    via Luke Humphris
  • 12
    webcomic - Text - ALLOWING YOURSELF TO BE OPEN WITH YOUR VULNERABILITIES, EMOTIONS ANDD CONCERNS IS NOT A WEAKNESS. WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS THESE THINGS, YOU CAN IMPROVE YOURSELF AND OVERCOME LIFE'S MANY ISSVES YOU CANNOT CHANGE SOMETHING IF YOU DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE IT EXISTS.
    via Luke Humphris
  • 13
    webcomic - Text - IF YOU NEED HELP, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO ASK FOR IT, NO MATTER YOUR GENDER. IT DOES NOT SHOW FRAGILITY TO TALK ARE VALID YOUR FEELINGS
    via Luke Humphris
  • 14
    webcomic - Cartoon - I DON'T BELIEVE THE ANSWER IS TO REJECT MASCULINE IDEALS, BUT TO REDEFINE WHAT THEY MEAN TO US. NOT JUDGING GENDER THROUGH A NARROW PRISM, RATHER ACCEPTING THE MYRIAD OF WAYS OF BOYS, MEN, (EVERYONE!) EXPRESS THEMSELVES ONLY YOU GET TO DECIDE THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU WANT TO BE, OTHER PEOPLE'S TOXIC GENDER EXPECTATIONS SHoULD PLAY NO ROLE IN THAT LUKE HUMPHRIS
    via Luke Humphris

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drinking childhood comics suicide depression family web comics
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