I once did a series of toxic masculinity workshops at a state prison in Minnesota. They were some of the most humbling & engaging conversations I ever had w/ fellow men. Mostly native & black men with a few hmong brothers & a couple white dudes.
It was the discussion about trauma & the limitations of what it means to be a man that hit the hardest. To see/hear/feel the repercussions of hurt boys who never healed, who remain in many ways emotionally traumatized kids who've hurt others, pains me.
I heard stories:
•of trauma inflicted in childhood
•of being taught to sever one's emotional capacity as a man
•of how we learn to inflict harm, dominate others & normalize toxic ways
They reinforced my belief that as men we are also victims of toxic masculinity.
•of trauma inflicted in childhood
•of being taught to sever one's emotional capacity as a man
•of how we learn to inflict harm, dominate others & normalize toxic ways
They reinforced my belief that as men we are also victims of toxic masculinity.
I do not absolve men from the harm they have caused. But I recognize 2 things:
•Our toxicity as men is learned and reinforced
•& that the capitalist carceral state depends on BIPOC bodies 4 economic solvency.
Of course this is an oversimplification.
•Our toxicity as men is learned and reinforced
•& that the capitalist carceral state depends on BIPOC bodies 4 economic solvency.
Of course this is an oversimplification.
In South Dakota were I grew up & within my homelands. Natives are 8.7% of the state population, but are over 50% of those jailed or imprisoned. In MN, we are about 1% of state pop, but 10% of the prison pop. Natives are 14 times more likely to be imprisoned than wypipo in MN.
State-sanctioned policies have historically created:
•abysmal pub. education
•underfunded social services
•absent economic opportunities
•predatory financing
•environmental waste
•and more
for BIPOC communities.
& then....
•abysmal pub. education
•underfunded social services
•absent economic opportunities
•predatory financing
•environmental waste
•and more
for BIPOC communities.
& then....
State-sanctioned violence allows:
•police to murder Black & Indigenous ppl w/o consequences
•the arrest of our folks at ridiculous rates
•the detainment of our relatives & the keeping of children in cages
•the holding of ppl in jail indefinitely due to the cash bail system
•police to murder Black & Indigenous ppl w/o consequences
•the arrest of our folks at ridiculous rates
•the detainment of our relatives & the keeping of children in cages
•the holding of ppl in jail indefinitely due to the cash bail system
& that's why when I look at the faces of my relatives locked up, I say fuck the carceral system. Its designed to hunt & imprison us.
Let's invest in healing men. Let's invest in confronting toxic masculinity & Patriarchy. Our sons deserve it. We deserve it. #DefundThePolice
Let's invest in healing men. Let's invest in confronting toxic masculinity & Patriarchy. Our sons deserve it. We deserve it. #DefundThePolice
