Men's magazines have had a long term relationship with toxic masculinity - or rather, men's magazines have been caught in the chokehold of dominating, toxic masculinity that has resulted not only in rape culture but also in a vast majority boys not knowing how to express their feelings, or worse - being completely unable to. Men's magazines and the toxic masculinity (also called hyper-masculinity) they promote are harmful to everyone by perpetuating stereotypes and ideologies that cater to a specific hegemonic masculinity while alienating and erasing the experiences of the rest of society, including other channels of masculinity. Men's magazines propagate the toxic masculinity in society that has excluded and marginalized gay men for centuries. Even as we build a society of people who are more accepting and tolerant, people faced with interlocking systems of oppression continue to suffer under toxic masculinity's reign. Toxic masculinity harms black communities more than other groups, making women, LGBTQ+ and transpeople of color among the most marginalized in society.

Magazines like GQ do not just exclude men who cannot afford $825 Versace decanters and $700 blazers. They exclude men that aren't straight and white. They exclude men that are interested in more than dropping thousands on their Bachelor pad, drooling over and objectifying women, sports cars or whatever is cautiously considered in-style (because for a man to be interested in fashion is risky). Men's lifestyle magazines, sports magazines and media are an insult to all of the men in the world who do not fit the patriarchal-minded, dominating norm. Furthermore they erase the experiences of the marginalized by promoting society's decided "manly" ideals, which often degrade those who do not choose to ascribe to those standards. 

 It is only by studying men's magazines and asking questions that we can change the narrative and ideals associated with masculinity. Not all masculinity is toxic, and it is important that we remember, when fighting sexism, that patriarchal, dominating pressures on society affect everyone.