ABSTRACT
This chapter explores toxic masculinity, gender identity, and sexual assault as represented in popular culture. It considers how the #MeToo movement has forced broad conversations about the politics and protocol for men’s interactions with women. The chapter recounts the public attention to sexism, populism, and the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign cycle, and the authors describe the rhetoric circulating around the controversies and what they signal about shifts in gender and sexual dynamics. The chapter argues the literacy of masculinity is being tweaked, compelling men to either reevaluate and challenge previously condoned male conduct or to compose a narrative of self-described victimhood.
