In the past year I’ve heard the term “emasculate” being used in films, shows, and casual conversation. In my life, it wasn’t a word heard often at all, and then all of sudden it became far more present in pop culture and interactions.
I had a decent idea of what it meant, but I did look up the definition about a year ago to ensure I truly understood. This is what the Merriam Webster says: “to deprive of strength, vigor, or spirit : WEAKEN,” “to deprive of virility or procreative power : CASTRATE”, and “ to remove the androecium of (a flower) in the process of artificial cross-pollination.”
Whenever I have heard the term, it is generally to state that a woman took away a man’s ability to be a man.
I’ve never witnessed the term “emasculate” being used without a woman being referenced.
I’ve seen it used when a woman takes charge, educates a man on an issue, or calls a man out on his behaviour.
There isn’t a similar word with a feminine connotation; the closest gendered word is “effeminate” but that too is being used to highlight losing masculinity or choosing to not show masculinity.
It’s interesting how both terms are holding men on a different level — losing power takes away someone’s masculinity.
There are many cases when women can mistreat men, bully men and abuse men. My thought is that we could use many different words to highlight that behaviour and it doesn’t need to involve the word “emasculate.”
With this summer’s release of the Barbie movie, I’ve seen many articles and interviews where women speak of men feeling emasculated from the movie.
No matter who says it, it’s not a good word to use.
In a time in society when gender and gender identity has come to the forefront, with many people coming out as transgender and being accepted, and schools and other organizations making space and celebrating gender identity, it’s wrong to use a word that states someone can take your gender identity away.
Our children are being raised to accept people, and that they are in control of how they choose to identify and the pronouns they use.
Emasculate is an old-fashioned word that continues to place men at the top of the hierarchy. When a woman is strong, smart and willing to offer leadership, somehow that takes away from a man’s power and identity as a man.
In that situation, using the phrase “you are emasculating me” really means, “I want to be in control, and you are lesser than me.”
If a woman is belittling or abusing a man, we all need to call it out for what it is.
Emasculate is dated and can be used as a cover for actions on both sides. Let’s retire this word, and call out behaviour and feeling for what they really are.
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