Benedict Cumberbatch tells men to ‘shut up and listen’ about toxic masculinity

The actor says it's childish to say 'not all men are bad'

Benedict Cumberbatch has called for an end to toxic masculinity, instructing his fellow men to "shut up and listen" as he says "we need to fix the behaviour of men". While promoting his latest film project, The Power of the Dog, Cumberbatch spoke to Sky News about toxic masculinity and men's general attitudes about changing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4abvO23IIk "We need to fix the behaviour of men," the 45-year-old actor said. "You have to kind of lift the lid on the engine a little bit. "I think it's ever relevant, and in a world that's questioning and ripping into and finally pointing out the inadequacies of the status quo and the patriarchy, it's even more important." He continued - somehow predicting our comment section when this is uploaded: "You get this sort of rebellion aspect, this denial, this sort of childish defensive position of 'not all men are bad'. "No, we just have to shut up and listen. "We're living through an era now where survivors can speak and are having a platform to realise that there is not enough recognition of abuse, there's not enough recognition of disadvantages." The Marvel actor's latest film sees him play a 'domineering' rancher who is particularly cruel to his younger brother and his new wife. "We need to do maybe what the film does as well, which is examine the reason behind the oppressive behaviour to fix the men," he said. Cumberbatch's words have predictably ruffled a few internet feathers, with one man writing: "OMG the garbage that comes from his mouth. Very ill informed and completely under the spell of feminism." Another person to seemingly miss the point and play directly to the actor's words wrote: "Toxic Masculinity doesn't exist…..it has been made up by weak minded, woke people like Mr Cumberbatch." Related links:

• Anti-vaxxers are now calling themselves 'pure bloods' on TikTok
• Your penis shrinks as you get older, but this TikTok doctor explains how to prevent it
• Aliens will land on Earth later today and start a war, claims' time traveller from 2714'