Instead, Obama said that being a good person is the solid foundation of manhood.
"All of us need to recognise that being a man is first and foremost being a good human. That means being responsible, reliable, working hard, being kind, compassionate."
Addressing the young black men who were in attendance, Obama emphasised the importance of men being confident enough in their own strength, so they don't harm others or themselves while seeking validation.
"If you're confident about your own strength, you don't have to show me by putting somebody else down. Show me by lifting somebody else up."
Obama also touched on the role played by racism in perpetuating toxic masculinity, as he said that historically, black men have been told that they are less than.
The mistake they then make in trying to compensate for their "inferiority" is they resort to things like violence which only harms them.