Issues I have with this billboard

I was driving down the highway when my daughter pointed out this billboard and asked me what it meant:

I know abortion is sensitive. I don’t want to get in a fight about it. I actually don’t want to talk about it, per se. I just want to talk about the issues I have with this particular billboard.

So, first, let’s talk about the catchphrase “Real men love babies” … At first glance: great! It feels like they’re trying to appeal to a feminist agenda to say that real men don’t have to be into just “tough” stuff (e.g., toxic masculinity), but can be real men by being loving to babies. This is a super important sentiment as it allows both men and women important gender equality and it’s progress. Great idea!

HOWEVER

When they put that catch phrase “Real men love babies” it into the context of trying to convince men to not allow their sexual partners to get an abortion, then that’s a different situation. The billboard may as well have said, “Real men carelessly impregnate women who don’t want to get pregnant and then force them to carry the baby.” Huh, that seems right back at toxic masculinity. 

So, the billboard, which seemed to be against toxic masculinity, was actually just promoting toxic masculinity in disguise. 

That’s disgusting.

And now, to answer my daughter’s question of what that billboard means: toxic masculinity infiltrates every part of our lives – including the street signs we pass on a daily basis. That, I’m sorry to say, is what that billboard is about.