Jacqueline Reich on toxic masculinity

Fordham News

In the last year, the phrase “me too” has become shorthand for survivors of sexual assault and harassment speaking out against their assailants. At the same time, the term “toxic masculinity” has also entered the public conversation, as a potential culprit for unrestrained, unresolved hostility toward women. Jacqueline Reich, a professor and chair of Fordham’s department of communication and media studies, was one of the first scholars to explore the subject of masculinity, most recently through a 2015 book, “Stars: Masculinity in Italian Cinema.” We sat down with her to talk about how shifting attitudes in both the United States and Italy have affected her own work.