Abstract
Although heterosexual relationships have been evolving since the dawn of humanity, there continues to be a considerable amount of inequality, toxicity, and dissatisfaction within heterosexual couplings. This paper explores the ways in which socially prescribed gender roles and toxic masculinity contribute to behaviours which lead to toxicity and unhappiness in heterosexual relationships. The behaviours that this paper will discuss include coercive control as well as physical and sexual violence, all of which are behaviours that according to current literature, are shockingly common in heterosexual relationships. Moreover, the present paper will investigate previous literature in order to explore these concepts in depth through theoretical concepts as well as previous qualitative and quantitative studies done on heterosexual relationship satisfaction. This particular research paper aims to identify and define the concepts of socially prescribed gender roles and toxic masculinity, before applying these concepts to the previously mentioned relationship behaviours in order to determine just how these social concepts contribute to or cause these behaviours in heterosexual couplings.
Highlights
Despite the fact that feminist and civil rights movements have been working toward gender equality for nearly a century, toxic masculinity and misogynistic gender norms still run rampant in our society’s institutions (Wilchins, 2019, p. 5)
This sociological need for reform is what inspires the purpose of the present research paper, I hypothesize that both men and women will exhibit traits of toxic masculinity and gender roles, and that these traits will correlate positively with bad relationship behaviours including coercive control, physical abuse, sexual violence, or any combination of these behaviours
The present paper explored the different ways in which toxic masculinity and gender roles operate within society as well as how they originated in order to apply these concepts to modern issues in heterosexual relationships
Summary
Despite the fact that feminist and civil rights movements have been working toward gender equality for nearly a century, toxic masculinity and misogynistic gender norms still run rampant in our society’s institutions (Wilchins, 2019, p. 5). One way that gender roles have evolved to express further oppressive forces is toxic masculinity; this form of masculinity which discourages men from displaying emotion or behaving effeminately has reinforced the outdated gender roles and stereotypes that we have already suffered under for centuries, demonstrating our society’s desperate need for reform when it comes to gendered norms, moralities, and sanctions This sociological need for reform is what inspires the purpose of the present research paper, I hypothesize that both men and women will exhibit traits of toxic masculinity and gender roles, and that these traits will correlate positively with bad relationship behaviours including coercive control, physical abuse, sexual violence, or any combination of these behaviours
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
