Josh Hawley slammed for bizarre claim 'the left’s attempt to give us a world beyond men'

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has prompted a social media firestorm with controversial argument suggesting Democrats are making an "attempt to give us a world beyond men."

During an appearance at the National Conservatism Conference in Orlando, Fla., the Republican senator insisted "manhood" was "under attack" as he urged men embrace tradionally masculine positions, reports The Guardian.

"The left want to define traditional masculinity as toxic," he said. "They want to define the traditional masculine virtues – things like courage, and independence, and assertiveness – as a danger to society."

Hawley also discuss a seemingly baseless claim about the connection between males and pornography.

"Can we be surprised that after years of being told that they are the problem, that their manhood is the problem, more and more men are withdrawing into the enclave of idleness and pornography and video games?" Hawley said.

"While the left may celebrate this decline of men, I for one cannot join them. No one should."

In addition to his claims about pornography, Hawley attempted to connect toxic masculinity to a number of other issues.

"For centuries, lovers of liberty have praised these qualities as the highest standard of manhood. That's not to say that women don't possess them. But it is to say that these virtues are the bright side of the aggression and competitiveness and independence that psychologists, no less than philosophers, have long observed in men." he said.

"Assertiveness and independence are strengths when used to protect and empower others."

Hawley's remarks quickly led to blowback on Twitter as many users dismantled his arguments and his claims about the characteristics of manhood.

"In the good old days, uncriticized American men fucked real top-heavy silicone queens and machine-gunned their way through actual space aliens on a daily basis," David Simon tweeted. "Also, don't shake the junior Missouri senator's hand until you see him wash it."

Another man tweeted, "Josh Hawley says American men are 'watching porn and playing video games because their masculinity is being criticized.' Mostly by their parents who keep asking, 'Josh, when are you going to move out of our basement, stop picking your nose and get a job?'"