You've probably heard the phrases "be a man" and "man up" sometime during your life. Usually, these phrases are used in situations where a man or a boy shows cowardice or emotion, such as crying. These phrases, as well as many others, are a form of toxic masculinity.

Toxic masculinity refers to stereotypical gender roles that restrict emotions that are considered "socially acceptable" for boys and men to express. As children, boys are taught that they need to be the strong, protective, aggressive, while girls are supposed to be soft-spoken and emotional. The male population is taught this stereotype. The teachings are reinforced through all forms of entertainment, literature, and in today's society, social media. In most television or cinematic productions, men are portrayed as strong, protective, brave, characters that are there to protect their families or significant others, and not show emotion. So when a problem arises or something bad happens, they are left to suffer in silence.