Gender roles and norms have been a large barrier to acceptance in our society. Double standards have engulfed us in a sea of societal rules with dos and don’ts on how each person should behave. In the Hispanic community especially there is “machismo” surrounding young men. Machismo is strong and aggressive masculine pride, the more men portray themselves as strong and assertive the more “manly” they are.
The Puerto-Rican rapper Bad Bunny has successfully broken toxic masculinity through his inclusive and gender accepting music videos and performances. Bad Bunny has millions of supporters for his constant activism and inclusivity of all in his music and career.
Moment #1: Yo Perreo Sola Music Video
In this drag appreciation and anti-harassment-themed music video, Bad Bunny dresses in a variety of drag-inspired outfits and twerks in front of the camera for his own pleasure and amusement. Men who are comfortable and confident in wearing skirts, dresses, and other “feminine” attire are instantly categorized as homosexual and it is seen as taboo for men to do this. Bad Bunny fully embraces who he is and is confident in his sexuality, allowing him to set examples for others through his music.
Moment #2: Jimmy Fallon Performance
During his Jimmy Fallon performance, Bad Bunny does not shy away from expressing what he believes in. During this performance, he wears a shirt that is in Spanish but translates to “ They killed Alexa, not a man in a skirt”. His shirt refers to a transgender woman who was shot and killed in Puerto Rico. He expressed his support for Alexa and her family by wearing this shirt during his performance along with wearing a skirt in solidarity with the Trans community. The media was constantly misgendering Alexa, referring to her as a “man in a skirt”. Bad Bunny wanted to make the media understand that Alexa was a woman.
Moment #3: Rocking Acrylic Nails on the Red Carpet
During the 2019 Latin Billboard Music Awards, Bad Bunny rocked his red carpet look with neon green acrylic nails to match his neon green hair. In this society, acrylic nails are categorized as a female-only norm. Bad Bunny broke this norm and showed the media that acrylics are not for females only and they should not be seen as an accessory for only women.
Bad Bunny continues to express his authentic personality and confidence in his sexuality throughout his career. He has stepped out of the social norms and broken toxic masculinity through his inclusivity in his music and music videos. Bad Bunny is a fantastic artist and person who leads a great example of embracing yourself despite what society and the media says is acceptable.
Who do you think are some other amazing people who have broken toxic masculinity? Let us know @HerCampusSJSU