One recurring theme I've noticed through all these shows is the sometimes glaring displays of toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity is defined as "a particular version of masculinity that is unhealthy for men and boys to conform to, and harmful for those around them" It's attributed to characteristics such as aggression and violence, hostility towards women and conforming to 'traditional male values.'
In Reality TV shows such as Married at First Sight, toxic masculinity is sometimes rife. It is unconventional for a dating show, given that two strangers (you've guessed it) get married at first sight and have to work through the trials and tribulations of marriage while still getting to know each other. Still, it surprises me how much audacity some of the people, particularly some of the men on the show, have.
The whole idea is that the couple get 'expertly' paired based on their individual wants and emotional needs, and yet there are still some instances where the men will get angry for not being paired with the 'skinny brunette girl' they asked for, or not finding their wives physically attractive for being a size 14 instead of a size 8, letting that get in the way of forming a genuine emotional connection.
Having watched two seasons of this show, I haven't once come across an instance where this has been reversed, and the woman has been the one being disappointed by their husband's physical appearance. Though I'm by no means saying that the women on Married at First Sight are perfect, as a lot of them are toxic in their own ways, it's the men who continue to find the audacity to comment on women's bodies who are perpetuating age long toxic masculinities.
Though I'm by no means saying that the women on Married at First Sight are perfect, as a lot of them are toxic in their own ways, it's the men who continue to find the audacity to comment on women's bodies who are perpetuating age long toxic masculinities.
Even in recently aired episodes from the new series, one husband on the show called Alex (if you know you know) was under a lot of heat for talking to some of the wives disrespectfully and for being the textbook definition of toxic masculinity.
Though Reality TV shows can be entertaining and fun to watch, and we all know that they're designed to be messy and filled with petty arguments and gossip, the instances of toxic masculinity on these shows can be problematic. Young, impressionable men watching these shows may think it's okay to comment on women's bodies in distasteful ways or talk down to women in group settings, and that should never be accepted and normalised.
Young, impressionable men watching these shows may think it's okay to comment on women's bodies in distasteful ways or talk down to women in group settings, and that should never be accepted and normalised.
The perpetuation of the unemotional, macho-man stereotype in Reality TV is damaging and steals the spotlight away from the men who display emotional availability and respect for women (as they do exist).
