American society encourages men to perform gender in a way that

celebrates and promotes a hetornorative system of gender celebrates a toxic masculinity. Men are often praised for qualities such as the ability to suppress emotion as well as the use of violence as an indicator of power. This aggressive archetype can often be seen in film and media. The overreliance on this gendered archetype alienates those who do not conform or subscribe to that system. I am creating a series of images dealing with and critiquing the heteronormative toxic-masculine archetype that has been placed on me and anyone who does not necessarily fit into ‘social norms’. Additionally I address

the effects this can have on your mental health using research based in psychology and sociology. I am using visual means and incorporated texts to bring my research narrative of this topic along with my own personal reflections into my own life into fruition.