#TheThingAboutMen

Submission 4,779

Part of a series on Hashtag. [View Related Entries]

About

#TheThingAboutMen is a hashtag originally intended to praise men. However, after going viral, the hashtag became a source of controversy as people discussed issues within masculinity, male health and sexism.

Origins

On February 24th, 2020, Twitter ^[1] account @ThingsInSixty tweeted "Where would we be without men? Join my manly guests @RoeGhost @MadAnter @ZarrarSalahPTI @MrRaceBannon @clark_gasm @417Smokey & myself @Acidic_Blonde as we play #TheThingAboutMen An Independent Hashtag Game" (shown below).

Spread

Following the post, some people began to discuss the topic as intended. For example, Twitter^[2] user @fivefortweeting wrote, "Is That Most Of Them Treat there Daughters With Respect And Make Amazing Dads" (shown below, left).

Others wrote about issues within masculinity. Twitter^[6] user @alioop326 tweeted, "#TheThingAboutMen is, they have feelings and emotions. They can experience domestic violence and mental illness. They deserve love and support just as much as women do. Human beings are all human, regardless of sex or gender. #BetterPeople." The tweet received more than 300 likes in less than two days (shown below, right).

However, as the game continued, some began to see the hashtag as a troll to bait arguments (example below, left). Even more accused the game of indulging supposed double standards against men. Twitter^[3] user @MartinJKeatings wrote, "#TheThingAboutMen is that if we started a hashtag called #TheThingAboutWomen, it wouldn't be so much of a laughing matter now would it? I'm just saying" (shown below, right).

Others used the hashtag to make sexist jokes. For example, Twitter^[4] user @The_Iron_6iant wrote, "#TheThingAboutMen is they are better than women, and the proof is in this hashtag, because if it was aimed at women, they'd cry and demand people get fired for using it. Men are awesome" (shown below).

On February 25th, The Daily Dot ^[5] reported on the hashtag.