Transforming the Toxic Masculine in Beauty and the Beast For Business Owners

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast has really beautiful themes representing the ways masculinity and femininity balance one another out. By showing Gaston as essentially an archetype for the #toxicmasculine and then countering that with the Beast who seems outwardly very masculine, but has a soft, tender heart hidden within, it comments on the value of #balance between the masculine and feminine in everyone. Today, hosts Ben and Paige Easter talk about transforming the toxic masculine through the lens of Beauty and the Beast. 

#Mensmentalhealth has been a particularly large topic in the aftermath of the pandemic restrictions, and it is intriguing to see the way this movie serves as a #metaphor for #overcomingisolation. Where the Beast chooses to hide away in his castle and shut himself off from the world in shame, Belle chooses to be herself openly in spite of the villagers believing she is odd. Additional themes are the villagers' resistance to a #changingsociety shown by their attitude towards Belle’s inventor father countered with the Beast’s initial resistance to change which shifts due to the influence of the feminine through Belle. The overall message is that if you #openyourheart to the feminine, it will temper and transform the masculine.

Through the lens of Beauty and the Beast, you can see the benefits of masculinity and femininity balancing each other within each of us. Gaston does not have enough femininity within himself to temper his masculine traits, so he comes off as an example of ‘toxic masculinity’. Whereas, the Beast appears aggressive and controlling at first, but under Belle’s feminine influence that masculinity begins to soften and transform into a more balanced version. 

Quotes

• “I'm not a huge fan of the phrase ‘toxic masculinity’, but if there were anyone that it was ever going to apply to, it would be Gaston for sure.” (9:54-10:01 | Ben) 
• “What the rose represents is the masculine's ability to find the feminine and come into balance with the feminine.” (12:20-12:27 | Ben) 
• “All of us have varying degrees of distribution of masculine and feminine within us.” (14:03-14:08 | Paige)
• “The transformation of the masculine is how we get out of the objectification of other people and how we have a balanced relationship.” (26:46-26:55 | Ben) 

Links

Connect with Ben and Paige Easter:

Website: https://lucidshiftcoaching.com/

LWebsite: https://lucidshiftcoaching.com/

Lucid Shift Coaching IG: https://www.instagram.com/lucid_shift_coaching/

Project Candlelight: https://airtable.com/shr5p0P2793RtRk2k

This podcast that helps business owners reduce overwhelm, beat imposter syndrome, and lead with confidence and clarity by diving into practical strategies for breaking through self-imposed ceilings, tackling the fear of not being good enough or worthy enough, and overcoming the fear of failure. Learn how to become more efficient with your day, stop procrastinating, and manage insecurity, while also mastering delegation, growing your team, and expanding your bandwidth for greater success. If you've ever felt slowed down by self-doubt, this podcast is your guide to breaking free and achieving more.

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