Actor Javier Bardem has spoken out in a recent interview about what he describes as “toxic masculinity” among world leaders, naming President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as examples of the behavior.
Bardem traced the roots of the problem back to upbringing and cultural norms passed down over generations, including his own.
“I think it comes from the origins of what this so-called toxic masculinity comes from, which is the education, the bad education that we have received for many ages, which I’m part of,” Bardem said.
The actor pointed to his home country of Spain as an example of a “machista” culture, citing the toll of gender based violence there.
“I’m 57 years old, coming from a very machista country called Spain, where there is an average of two women killed monthly by their ex-husbands or ex-boyfriends, which is horrible,” he said. “Just that amount of women being murdered, it’s unbelievable. And we kind of normalized it. It’s like, well, yeah, it’s horrible. I mean, are we nuts? We are k*lling women because some men think they own them, they possess them.”
Bardem then connected that same mindset to the conduct of major political figures on the world stage.
“So, and that problem also goes to Mr. Trump, and Mr. Putin, and Mr. Netanyahu. The big balls man saying, ‘My c*ck is bigger than yours, and I’m going to b*mb you.’ It’s a male toxic behavior that is creating thousands of d3ad people. So, yeah, we have to talk about it,” he said.
He added that growing public awareness of the issue is a positive shift compared to past decades.
“I think if we are talking about it, it’s because we are more aware of it, thankfully. Because maybe 20 years ago, there was something that nobody would pay attention to as a problem,” Bardem said.
He said he views his public platform as a responsibility to encourage others to speak up.
“I don’t have any other power or more power than you guys, but this. And I use it in the best way I know because I believe that when you encourage others to talk and to get their own thoughts about certain things, there is mobilization. And mobilization changes situations, I think, still today,” Bardem said.
