I first seen this tag #manlawviolation on twitter via Dallas Cowboy running back Tashard Choice (@tchoice23). It is uncertain to me whether or not if he’s the one who originated it. Choice has somewhere around 40k followers, so needless to say he generated the tag rather quickly, and it peaked my interest.
To give you some examples of what negative traditional masculinity looks like, and a portrayal of strict gender policing I will share the following:
@EauLeDoet #manlawviolation Never offer to buy another man a milkshake
@CATDADDYEARL #manlawviolation two grown men living together..c’mon SUN
@All_Yall_Lying #manlawviolation Swinging your arms when you walk (that boy is gonna to be a sissy)
@bobleesswaggerss Just heard this Grown ass man ask another Grown Ass Man do he wanna do lunch 2mar!! #ManLawViolation!
@Jay_Denae No man should be calling a friend, male or female their ‘bestie’!! #ManLawViolation
@DMVExecutive Getting bossed by ur girl by any extent #ManLawViolation
And, lastly my favorite (because I do this) is from Tashard himself
@tchoice23 wanna give a s/o to the dudes that send smiley face texts to girls and give a kiss before they hang up #manlawviolation
If you have a twitter account you can check out this tag, and see many more examples of what is considered ‘unmanly’.
This type of prejudice against men who don’t conform to traditional socialization of masculinity creates gaps in the work toward equality. Qualities of a man should not be negatively defined by the words he has chosen to speak, acts of kindness he has shown toward another male, how he walks, and/or any other trait that doesn’t adhere to the ‘guy code’.
A lot of these illustrate the pure lack of tolerance by men (and women), for another man doing anything that is normally considered feminine. The implications to this would bring about the conclusion that women don’t equate to men, and men that do things that are seen in other’s perspective as feminine don’t equate to men either. When we compare what a man does to a woman, and in a demeaning way, we’re saying that the men being like women aren’t manly enough, and that women can’t be like men. In other words ‘women aren’t as good as men’.
Gender socialization of men affects other men as it does women. To create change in an environment engulfed with male privilege, sexism, and detrimental norms we have to start denouncing behaviors that perpetuate these ideas. We have to eradicate rigid gender roles, gender stereotypes, and gender policing!
Together we can make a difference! Step Up!
