The Toxic Masculinity Scale Classifies Men into Five Categories

The term "toxic masculinity" emerged in the 1980s to describe the idea that certain stereotypical "masculine" traits can negatively impact society, such as dominance and aggression. These traits are now evident in various behaviors, such as sexual violence and refusal to participate in household chores.

Developing a Scientific Scale

To attempt to measure this phenomenon objectively, Stephen Sanders from Oregon State University and his colleagues created the Toxic Masculinity Scale, consisting of 28 questions to assess the level of toxicity among men. The scale was applied to white male college students in the United States, according to a report by Nature magazine.
Dividing Men into Five Groups
The study found that participants were divided into five groups:
35.4%: Non-toxic
3.2%: Aggressively toxic
Two moderate groups: one relatively tolerant towards sexual and gender minorities, and the other more biased but less aggressive.
The study indicated that older individuals, singles, the unemployed, religious people, and racial minorities or politically conservative individuals were more likely to belong to the aggressively toxic group.

Positive Masculinity vs. Toxic Masculinity

Researcher Deborah Hill Koon from the University of Auckland in New Zealand noted that feeling masculine is not an indicator of aggressive behavior, as there is positive masculinity that can manifest in responsible and cooperative actions.

Benefits of the Scale and Cultural Challenges

Michael Flood from Queensland University of Technology stated that identifying the level of toxic masculinity helps design interventions to address harmful behaviors among specific groups of men.
However, researchers warned about the impact of cultural differences on the results, noting that some traits like competitiveness and dominance can be beneficial when moderate and only become harmful when extreme.