Boris Johnson loves doing it – but what is the latest toxic male trait?

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Because whilst the arguable degradation of standards in public life could be described as a problem unique to current circumstances, Johnson’s “manstanding” approach sadly isn’t. Perhaps this is because at its heart, manstanding is part of the “everyone else is stupid and I’m edgy enough to say it” school of thought. This is actually at the root of my issue with manstanding – making everyone else feel “less” is not an accidental side effect, it’s a key part of how this technique is used to win the argument. To keep up to speed with all the latest opinions and comment, sign up to our free weekly Voices Dispatches newsletter by clicking here For example, the suggestion that Johnson has made so many enemies in his own party because his government has done “very big and very remarkable” things that has also been trotted out this week is specifically framed to make his critics seem petty and small-minded and lacking his vision or leadership.