Jordan Stephens: ‘Toxic Masculinity'
Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens has expressed his thoughts on Toxic masculinity and how society’s definition of a man is incredibly flawed.
I’ve noticed Jordan recently on a few different chat shows speaking about how negatively masculine ideals and repressing emotions has effected himself and people he knows growing up. I’m impressed with how he’s carried himself, especially when he’s come up against other opinions from people during various panels. I’ve also watched a few of his spoken word poems and its clear that the issues he discusses are something that both himself and people he’s close too have gone through. One thing that Jordan discusses which I found interesting is the fact that for generations, boys have been idolising James Bond - a womanising murderer who has spent the last 27 years running away from a childhood trauma. It’s little things like that which for me show the holes in society and how something as innocent as a film character can personify and highlight the bigger issue. Jordan also talks about how it’s ok to feel sadness and hurt, and by venting about how we feel we can stop issues of abuse or anger cropping up in later life.
I love and rate how Jordan displays himself as vulnerable, which is a metaphor in itself - as here we have an otherwise ‘masculine’ perceived celebrity opening up about how negatively stereotypes of masculinity have effected him. The overall message of this so important and true - 'trust yourself, be kind to yourself and love yourself... everyone deserves to be loved especially by yourself'
