According to psychologist Michael G. Thomas, the sexes have much more in common than not. After giving the same psychological test to both males and females, of all ages, Thomas found that the results indicated a bell-shaped curve with 90% of the responses overlapping. This suggest that the differences among males and females only make up 10% of human psychology. Although this concept is highly contradicted with the social standards that come from gender roles, which often reject any similarity with each other or cause domination over the other. For example, masculinity in male culture is centered around refusing femininity and elevating themselves above those who are feminine. The documentary The Mask You Live In main focus is to bring awareness to the toxic male culture that leads men down roads of isolation and aggression in hopes to spark a movement to recreate a better culture for sons to come. Hoff-Summer said in response to the trailer, “ The energy, competitiveness, and corporal daring of normal male are responsible for much good in the world. No one denies that boys’ aggressive and risk-taking tendencies must be socialized and channeled towards constructive ends.” Although Hoff-Summer makes a good argument about the positive aspects of aggression and competitiveness, her use of “normal males” reveal she has missed the point of The Mask You Live In, as the idea of normal males is a construct. Hoff-Summer argues that male aggression and competitiveness with the proper guidance can benefit the world. She explain, “I agree with Newsom that telling boy to ‘man up’ can be harsh and degrading. But teaching him to ‘to be gentleman’ is another matter.” She focuses on the hope to encourage healthy masculinity and bring out the best that is in males through firm but kind discipline from a respectable male figures. This concept has sparked many organization, such as Men Can Stop Rape and Healthy Masculinity Action Project, who are fighting for the end of male violence by supporting men, young and old, with individualized definitions of masculinity that allow for self-acceptance and self-expression. Although she briefly identifies those who are pathologically masculine or hyper masculine, her effort to inspire positive aspects of masculinity and well mental health for males is less admirable when examining her speech. The speech use throughout her review of the film directly displays a significant misunderstanding of the focus of The Mask You Live In.
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The use of “normal males” negate the main argument throughout the film which is to encourage a culture change that releases males from the harmful and idealistic mask of masculinity. A culture that bombards males with messages of physical aggression and the absence of emotion puts our boys into gender boxes just as girls are forced into gender boxes of submission and inferiority. At a young age our children submit to these gender boxes when our girls are given skinny, perfect Barbies and our boys are given muscular, violent G.I. Joes. As they become older, media surrounds them with stronger social pressures and boundaries resulting in harmful behaviors. Hoff-Sommer’s idea that the positive aspects of masculinity only apply to “normal males” and denying that both, masculinity and normal, are constructs only pushes the creators of the film from its goal of creating a healthier self image for all males. As depicted in the film, this harsh standard for hypermasculinity in adolescent boys causes a variety of problems later in their life, including an inflated rate for male suicide and greater risk of addiction. Studies show that 80% of suicides are among 10-24 year old males in 2013. A vast majority of these death resulting from mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, with symptoms that are ignored or gone undetected because of male reticence. Although Hoff-Summer claims that there are advantages to male reserve and that males’ struggle with emotional literacy stem from a lowered value for self expression. She emphasises that boys don’t see the value in “problem” talk, thus making it weird or unnecessary for males. She goes on to say that girls believe that personal disclosure made them feel understood and cared for. The film rejects this idea and reveals the culture that males are fed in
The use of “normal males” negate the main argument throughout the film which is to encourage a culture change that releases males from the harmful and idealistic mask of masculinity. A culture that bombards males with messages of physical aggression and the absence of emotion puts our boys into gender boxes just as girls are forced into gender boxes of submission and inferiority. At a young age our children submit to these gender boxes when our girls are given skinny, perfect Barbies and our boys are given muscular, violent G.I. Joes. As they become older, media surrounds them with stronger social pressures and boundaries resulting in harmful behaviors. Hoff-Sommer’s idea that the positive aspects of masculinity only apply to “normal males” and denying that both, masculinity and normal, are constructs only pushes the creators of the film from its goal of creating a healthier self image for all males. As depicted in the film, this harsh standard for hypermasculinity in adolescent boys causes a variety of problems later in their life, including an inflated rate for male suicide and greater risk of addiction. Studies show that 80% of suicides are among 10-24 year old males in 2013. A vast majority of these death resulting from mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, with symptoms that are ignored or gone undetected because of male reticence. Although Hoff-Summer claims that there are advantages to male reserve and that males’ struggle with emotional literacy stem from a lowered value for self expression. She emphasises that boys don’t see the value in “problem” talk, thus making it weird or unnecessary for males. She goes on to say that girls believe that personal disclosure made them feel understood and cared for. The film rejects this idea and reveals the culture that males are fed in