“Euphoria” is an intense TV series that takes the audience on a roller coaster of emotions. It revolves around a teenage girl named Rue, played by Zendaya, who struggles to find meaning in her life after getting out of rehab and being around other characters who are also fighting their own demons.
“Euphoria” does not sugar coat the challenges of addiction, accepting oneself in the LGBTQ+ community and abuse. Although it sheds light on all of these topics, one theme that stands out is toxic masculinity.
One of the supporting characters, Nate Jacobs, exemplifies everything that deals with toxic masculinity. His character is first seen as just a high school star athlete but over the course of the story, the show reveals that he is always trying to project dominance over his girlfriend Maddy.
When things don’t go his way, Nate abuses Maddy both verbally and physically. He says that he mistreats her because he loves her immensely and just wants to protect her. In reality, he hurts her because he believes that if he belittles her enough, she will behave the way he wants her to.
Actor Algee Smith plays a character named Chris McKay, who also has toxic traits. In episode 6, the audience sees his backstory where his father tells him to bottle up his rage and let it all out when he’s playing football. This leads to a lifelong struggle because he believes that in order to be a man, he has to repress his emotions.
Overall, “Euphoria” provides commentary on how dangerous toxic masculinity is to society. The show tells young men that the societal standards for what it means to be a man is false. Men should learn what it means to be a human who doesn’t have to hide behind a mask that radiates only dominance and violence.
For any boy or man who is reading this, just know it’s okay to cry in front of loved ones, take interests in other things than sports and be who you want to be. Watching this show raises awareness about toxic masculinity and teaches this generation the importance of acceptance.
TCHS School Newspaper