“Against Masculinity” — Current Affairs

The author argues that masculinity is not a useful standard for young men, who need what everyone needs: to be good people with meaningful lives. Writing in Current Affairs, the author says the calls for "positive masculinity" from Christine Emba of the Washington Post and Richard Reeves, author of Of Boys and Men, are misguided, since virtues like courage, self-confidence and compassion are not distinctively male. The author also says that Emba never fully articulates a positive vision of masculinity that is distinct from femininity, and suggests that no such vision could avoid stigmatizing effeminate boys.