Every day, millions of men live with mental trauma due to toxic masculinity factors taught at a young age and sustained through life, and are unequipped to deal with it. Left unchecked, this trauma can manifest itself into crimes such as domestic violence, sexual misconduct, and murder. It is important that men understand how the masculinity identity can act as a barrier on the path to mental health, and apply healthy masculinity methods in order to (1) bypass these barriers, (2) break the toxic cycle for future generations of young boys, and (3) help their fellow men remove toxic stigmas in approaching their own trauma, thus creating a healthy male identity. Dr. James Wilkerson is an author, advocate, professor, and two time TEDx speaker in the areas of sexual assault prevention and gender issues. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx