# The Male Inequality Problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 27, 2025, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-inequality-problem/1023440 "2025-09-27T21:57:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 807
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-inequality-problem/1023440/807 "2026-06-03T14:25:32Z")
Moving this discussion here: > [@Confronting racism in oneself](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confronting-racism-in-oneself/1030215/235): > > In terms of power/dominance, there’s a piece of it that is true, but it’s more about belonging. It’s about maintaining your own status in the group. Good natured ribbing is how some groups of immature males bond. It isn’t about establishing dominance over others, it’s about elevating your status so that you’re not excluded as unworthy. If you want to be in the group, you need to be cool, and tough, and funny, you play rough and tumble games, make fun of each other, and as long as you’re all go… “Busting your balls” as a young male behavior. Definitely occurs cross culturally. Different rules but there. Usually outgrown fairly early in adulthood. Is it a negative “toxic” masculinity, or something we should accept as male play across cultures? --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-male-inequality-problem/1023440)._