FRAGILE MASCULINITY AND FEMININITY

First of all, the idea that femininity and masculinity exists as constructs, does not convince me. For me, you are masculine if you identify as a man, and you are feminine if you identify as a woman. But, there are certain characteristics that people use to call femininity or masculinity. Such as, being nurturing and delicate for femininity or being dominant and confident for masculinity. This doesn't really make sense to me, because every individual has their own differences, and these differences shouldn't ever be reduced to gender alone. You can still be a woman if you are dominant at work or not so delicate, and you can still be a man if you are nurturing and submissive.

FRAGILE MASCULINITY

• Fragile masculinity is very closely related to toxic masculinity. It is when a man thinks he constantly have to prove his masculinity as it is always at the risk of being compromised. In many males, the constant pressure to earn and prove their masculinity triggers anxiety, if they fail to do so. 

• The primary method in doing so, is by behaving in stereotypical masculine ways, which includes, status-seeking, competitiveness, confidence, success at work or at sports, aggressiveness, risk taking, and keeping away from femininity in behavior, speech and emotions.

• Fragile masculinity is linked with a lot of insecurity, in one's own gender identity. This insecurity pressurize the men to continue to prove themselves as a "man". Alphas don’t need to tell everyone that they’re alphas. In fact, if you’re always telling people ‘I’m an alpha,’ you’re probably a beta. 

• I think, being "man enough" also means being less of a woman. So, fragile masculinity is often disrespectful towards woman. For example, if the wife comes home late after work, the fragile husband is likely to feel insecure and aggressive towards the woman.

• Fragile men also think that they can enhance their masculinity by shaming other men for exploring their feminine sides. For instance, a fragile man would shame another man who is wearing make-up or painting nails, because being a fragile man he thinks to be a man, you first need to be less feminine. They also think that their gender is more dominant than the other, and they only believe in two genders.

• According to several research, men exposed to masculinity threats have been observed to react with increased anxiety-related thoughts, aggressiveness, discomfort and anger issues, gender-role related stress, and they also display higher pain tolerance ad toughness.

These everyday items are a direct response to fragile masculinity.

FRAGILE FEMININITY

• It is when a woman feels that she has to constantly prove her femininity as it is always at the risk of being compromised, which is also the same in case of fragile masculinity.

• Fragile women tend to shame other women who don't adhere to maintain their femininity, or women who are not completely feminine. 

• Not only other women, but fragile women often shame other men, as well. They shame men for not being masculine enough. This also means that they let men be the more dominant one, because they think women fit well in submissive roles. It is a way of being a woman that relies heavily on male validation and the male gaze of approval. 

• No offense, but one example of this can be the American artist Lana Del Rey. In songs like "Ultra violence" and "Blue Jeans", she even talks about accepting physical violence and still being their for the man who doesn't even give her the deserved treatment. Though, why I think Lana Del Rey is a fragile woman, is much more than this.

• Fragile femininity is also seeing other feminine women as threatening. They think another woman's femininity detracts from their own, and that they need to be the most 'feminine' in the room. 

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