Mormon University Professor Royally Remedies Your Young Son's Toxic Masculinity

So there you are, wondering how to keep your toddler son from becoming toxically masculine.

Might he need a talking to? A trip to Drag Queen Story Hour? A beta-male movie marathon?

New Hollywood Reporter Cover Celebrates “Triumph of the Beta Male” https://t.co/rld4ixIA2H pic.twitter.com/k78Yv0TNna

— Oligarch Kabuki 🐻 (@HouseCracka) March 7, 2018

You can try those, but a team of developmental psychology researchers has discovered a maverick move that just might nip it in the bud.

As relayed by Brigham Young University, a study of young children was recently led by BYU Professor Sarah Coyne.

Sarah and crew found a formidable foe for boys’ burgeoning caveman calamity: “princess culture.”

👑 The Disney Princesses are back today, with their classic soundtrack: pic.twitter.com/Jyd2ui1B1j

— DLP Report (@DLPReport) August 30, 2021

Per the write-up, male kids so cultured were “more likely to later hold progressive views about women and subscribe less to attitudes of toxic masculinity.”

And not only can immersing your tragically-testosterone’d terror in the wonderful ways of womanhood keep his inner monster on a leash; it might just save the human race.

The professor explains:

“What’s fascinating is that princess culture has some really deep and beautiful things about womanhood and relationships. If we can grasp onto that, it can be truly healing for humanity.”

Of course, we could just let princess-primed girls rescue the world. But I suppose doubling efforts is inarguably a more muscular approach.

Not that being muscular is preferred.

As for feeling her way around princess research, it’s not Sarah’s first rodeo.

In 2016, she discovered that such culture enhanced stereotypes in preschoolers.

Writing in the journal Child Development at the time, she put it thusly:

Longitudinal results revealed that Disney Princess engagement was associated with more female gender-stereotypical behavior one year later, even after controlling for initial levels of gender-stereotypical behavior.

“Our prior study,” Sarah admits, “found that in the short-term, princess culture had a negative effect. But this changes over time.”

The new work shines a brighter light:

“We’re now seeing long-term positive effects of princess culture on how we think about gender.”

For investigation, researchers observed 300+ kids and their parents during preschool years as well as a half-decade later.

The greater their engagement with princess culture, the more the boys ended up with progressive attitudes toward women.

Disney’s darlings demonstrate Girl Power:

“Princess culture gives women key storylines where they’re the protagonist. They’re following their dreams, helping those around them, and becoming individuals who aren’t prescribed a role because of their gender.”

“It tells both boys and girls that they can be all sorts of different things,” Sarah asserts. “They’re not supposed to be just one thing, which can be powerful.”

Most importantly, perhaps, it eliminates toxins.

From BYU:

Participants who had a high engagement with princess culture were also less likely to adopt attitudes of toxic masculinity — strict adherence to gender roles that support cultural norms favoring dominance by men — and were more supportive of allowing individuals to feel and show emotion.

Additionally, boys’ll do much better in relationships.

According to Sarah, princess culture exposure allows them to “do a better job expressing emotion in their relationships.”

“Rather than shutting down their feelings or feeling like they should fight someone who challenges them, they can express their emotions in non-violent ways.”

If I understand correctly, when you saturate roosters with hen sensibilities, they crow less, strut less, and all but lay an egg.

Better?

To many, surely Yes.

And if you’ve wondered how to keep your adult son clucking correctly, a school in Pennsylvania’s hatched a plan:

In case you missed it…

Pennsylvania University Promotes Men's Cuddle Group to 'Redefine Masculinity' & Prevent Crimehttps://t.co/13QLkPs3en pic.twitter.com/BoCIVKlpFM

— Alex Parker (@alexparker1984) September 3, 2021

From my coverage of the above:

According to the American Psychological Association, “[T]raditional masculinity is psychologically harmful.”

Now you’ve got a chance to be rosy-cheeked, warm, and maybe get some tickles — from a cuddlebunny you might otherwise be fist-fighting at a bar.

Bethlehem’s LeHigh University is promoting a Philadelphia-area male-to-male cuddling group so bros can relieve their stress. Because nothing eases anxiety for the average man like the embrace of hairy arms and some guy named Hugo’s cologne on his neck.

So there ya go — a map to wellness.

Follow it, and your male offspring might not be male awful.

I do, however, bear bad news.

Though your toddler may be turned from toxic masculinity…he’ll still be racist: