Hegemonic masculinity is closely associated with the gender hierarchy (Connell and Messerschmidt, 2005). Likewise, Chinese masculinity of the father is still built and consolidated through showing higher status over women in a family. In other words, Chinese masculinity of fatherhood is constructed in a contrast with women. Connell and Messerschmidt (2005) emphasized women are vital in many processes of constructing masculinities. It is said that patterns of masculinity are socially defined in contradistinction from some model of femininity (Connell and Messerschmidt, 2005). Hence, in the context of the masculinities of the father, the image of the mother cannot be neglected.
By recording the interaction between the father and their child as …show more content…
In the reality show, Tao Guo, one of five fathers, showed a classic image of the strict father. He described himself as a typical man from northwestern China, who is manly, strong and cool. His son, Zirui Guo, a six-year-old boy, once accidentally wet his bed when he drunk water on the bed. When Zirui Guo was being affectionate to apologize to his father, his father, Tao Guo, got angry and criticized him for this silly mistake. He also strictly required him to act like an adult and to perform well in the next day trip. Although Tao Guo admitted that his education manner is too strict to his child after this event, this episode still depicted a typical image of Chinese strict …show more content…
As Connell and Messerschmidt (2005) illustrated, the understanding of hegemonic masculinity should contain the understanding of gender hierarchy. Therefore, the understanding of the representative of hegemonic masculinity, fatherhood, needs to corporate the gender relation with motherhood. Namely, the contemporary masculinity of Chinese fatherhood is based on the gender hierarchy in a family. Chinese fathers’ masculinity that is manly, strong, having higher status than mother and having the authority and power in a family is built on a close connection to the image of the mother who are submissive, kind and
By recording the interaction between the father and their child as …show more content…
In the reality show, Tao Guo, one of five fathers, showed a classic image of the strict father. He described himself as a typical man from northwestern China, who is manly, strong and cool. His son, Zirui Guo, a six-year-old boy, once accidentally wet his bed when he drunk water on the bed. When Zirui Guo was being affectionate to apologize to his father, his father, Tao Guo, got angry and criticized him for this silly mistake. He also strictly required him to act like an adult and to perform well in the next day trip. Although Tao Guo admitted that his education manner is too strict to his child after this event, this episode still depicted a typical image of Chinese strict …show more content…
As Connell and Messerschmidt (2005) illustrated, the understanding of hegemonic masculinity should contain the understanding of gender hierarchy. Therefore, the understanding of the representative of hegemonic masculinity, fatherhood, needs to corporate the gender relation with motherhood. Namely, the contemporary masculinity of Chinese fatherhood is based on the gender hierarchy in a family. Chinese fathers’ masculinity that is manly, strong, having higher status than mother and having the authority and power in a family is built on a close connection to the image of the mother who are submissive, kind and