This research paper critically examines the discourse surrounding toxic masculinity within the context of British radical right extremism, building upon Marysia Zalewski's interrogation of the subjecthood of man in International Relations. While masculinity studies have explored the relationship between maleness and violence, public and policy discourses often simplify the complexities of masculinities within extremist movements, reducing them to issues of crisis and toxicity. The article argues that this discourse overlooks Zalewski's aim of destabilizing the field and deconstructing patriarchy, focusing instead on Islamophobia as the responsibility of specific 'extreme' and 'toxic' groups. Through an ethnographic approach, the paper explores the limitations of the term 'toxic masculinity' in understanding the activism of the English Defence League (EDL). It highlights how this term obscures the broader patriarchal norms perpetuated by the EDL and overlooks the role of women within the movement. Drawing on Zalewski's framework, the research offers an analysis of how masculinities and patriarchy intersect to produce power and violence, advocating for a discussion of masculinities that does not equate manhood with threat.
2019