Over the last several decades, the academic synergy of feminist ideology and social science has substantially altered the therapeutic landscape of sociology, mental health and suicide prevention. The understanding, interpretation and identification of pathological or harmful behaviors, the therapeutic trajectories, and the expected outcomes of successful therapies have all been reframed in terms of achievement of feminist goals, many of which are theorised to result in benefits experienced by women and girls. This shift in health care has culminated in the disasterous APA Guidelines for psychological practice with boys and men (describing masculinity as a harmful doctrine) and the rise of gendered hate speech in academic discourse and mainstream media ("toxic masculinity") and social media (#KILLALLMEN).

The most recent iteration of this "feminism is good for men too" approach to men's health is the rise of "healthy masculinities." This positive framing of masculinity suggests a benevolent approach to men and boys, but is misleading. It assumes that masculinity has no innate identity, is entirely a social construct, and can be appropriated by feminists to reprogram men and boys in some kind of gender-eugenic experiment.

"Healthy masculinities" is based on the core feminist belief that all masculinity is harmful, and hyper masculinity is extremely harmful or lethal. This corner stone of feminist patriarchial theory places men on a scale of maleness in which less masculine expressions of their identity ("healthy masculinities") are least harmful (less oppressive), and more masculine expressions of identity (toxic masculinity) are more harmful. Identification of "healthy masculinities" is based on the perceived or theoretical benefits accruing to women and girls as a result of altering the behaviors of men and boys.

The benefits of "health masculinities" to men and boys are less well defined and appear to be assumed. These benefits assume that if men and boys change their behavior, they will no longer be brutally pressured by society to adhere to strict male gender roles of protector (conscription) and providor (forced childsupport regardless of biological links to child), etc. The change in men's behaviors does not seem to have a logical link to changed societal expectations.

Has anyone got any evidence that so called "healthy masculinities" provide any benefits to men and boys?