John Legend Tackles Toxic Masculinity. Good on him!

John Legend recently talked about his plan to fight toxic masculinity in an interview with Cosmopolitan.

Good on him! It's time men started challenging the rigid gender-based stereotypes as they apply to society.

While the gender binary is useful, meaningful, perhaps even fundamental for 99% of the population, rigid stereotyping in the form of toxic masculinity (or straitjacket femininity) is unhealthy for everyone.

John Legend's Inspiring Speech at the Oscars

The Oscars have often been a place where inspirational speeches are given. This year, it was Common and John Legend's turn.

"Nina Simone said it's an artists duty to reflect the times in which we live," he said. "We wrote this song for a film that was based on events that were 50 years ago but we say that Selma is now, because the struggle for justice is right now. We know that the voting rights act that they fought for 50 years ago is being compromised now in this country today. Right now the struggle for freedom and justice is real. We live in the most incarcerated country in the world. There are more black men under correctional control today than were under slavery in 1850."

"When people are marching with our song, we want to tell you we are with you, we see you, we love you, and march on," he added.

Something for us to think more deeply about, I think.