How American masculinity relates to mass shootings

Following the deadly shooting in Parkland, Florida on Feb. 14, America was thrown into a heated debate on the prevention of future mass shootings. This debate is still raging, though its intensity has certainly waned over the last couple of weeks.

Over its tenure, there’s been a great number of possible solutions to the problem. Some consider the extreme complexity of the issue. It may seem redundant for me to say it, but the issue involves a wide variety of factors.

Though the debate has been a bit much at times, it’s good there’s been a discussion on some of these issues, such as the role of school resource officers, the accountability of law enforcement and the effectiveness of background checks.

However, I am here to discuss an issue that I believe hasn’t been discussed enough.

Over the last couple of decades, women have had many opportunities to have conversations on the nature and role of femininity in American society.

From the sexual revolution of the 1960s to the third wave of the feminist movement in America, women have been able to facilitate conversation on their role in society. They are able to make moves towards liberating themselves from the societal standards and limitations that have been attached to their sex for all of American history.

Meanwhile, men have not had similar conversations, which has created a disconnect for many men who are taught certain things about their role in society. The actual standards they come to be judged by are different than they were expecting.

Some men who believe that strength and assertiveness are what makes them a man may feel strange in a world that does not necessarily define masculinity in the same way that they do.

Essentially, there may be a difference between how boys are socialized in American society and the actual expectations that are attached to manhood by the time they become adults.

The days where men, or anyone for that matter, could easily provide for their family on a single income are long gone as well as the days where force and aggression were things that were valued in individuals.

Regardless of whether anyone sees this change as a negative or positive thing, change has occurred, and it is worth noting.

According to Mother Jones magazine, of the 97 mass shootings that have killed three or more individuals from 1982 to 2018, only three have been perpetrated by women. Of these 97, one is the infamous San Bernardino shooting, which was committed by a male and female couple.

Essentially, 95 of the deadliest mass shootings in American shootings have been perpetrated by males. Regardless of the shooter’s motives, from this data we can see that men are much more likely than women to commit deadly mass shootings in America.

I believe the state of masculinity in America is at least partially responsible for that. When looking at Nikolas Cruz, the perpetrator of the shooting in Parkland, some were quick to look at Cruz’s mental health issue and his history of being bullied.

I believe that males in America are socialized to believe that masculinity is at least partially about being strong, authoritative and respected. For individuals such as Cruz, who may be bullied and badly treated, they may grow to believe that this mistreatment is their fault and that they need to be stronger and stand up to it.

On the other hand, they may begin to consciously or subconsciously see themselves as victims of a society that is mistreating them and that they need to retaliate.

Ultimately, they may feel the need to retaliate regardless of whether they blame themselves or society and this can potentially explode into violence.

Alternatively, men may feel this way without needing to be bullied or mistreated by others. I believe that the process of recognizing oneself as a victim has also spurred many men to join groups such as those related to the alt-right.

Many alt-right groups provide mostly men with a space to express their aggressive views and “fight back” against society, which they believe has slighted them in some way. It’s all a matter of perception, which is all that things such as masculinity or femininity are.

If someone feels mistreated or inadequate, they may eventually go to extreme measures to correct this feeling. The alt-right is a good example of this because they use harsh rhetoric to advance its political views, regardless of how unrealistic and impractical they might be.

Aggressive behavior from some men in events such as mass shootings, which are overwhelmingly committed by men, should be a catalyst for us to facilitate such conversation on the role of masculinity.

This problem is not the fault of any one individual. It is a societal problem we need to take the time to address.

Now, again, I am not saying masculinity is the primary thing motivating people to commit mass shootings. I am arguing that it's one of many potential factors, so it shouldn't be ignored.

Ultimately, there needs to be a serious conversation about the role of masculinity in modern America. The role of men in society has changed and values have not caught up with these times.