Shoujo Manga, and the Rise of the Feminine Man
The topic of masculinity is a topic that is often discussed and interpreted in today’s society. Many wonder what it means to be masculine or if we can even describe such a broad term. What is a man’s rights and responsibilities? What should a “man” be like, and what must they do to fulfill their roles? Most people will answer that masculinity can be interpreted as something close to hegemony, a quality defined by dominance, control, and power over another. This interpretation is prevalent in countries such as Turkey, where researchers found that “the expression of power reinforces a persons’ masculinity” (Bozkurt 259), Sweden, where “hegemonic masculinity is presented both as a problematic, normalized and idealized masculinity …show more content…
Specifically, I will be focusing on the content and stories presented by manga which offer a different take on standard gender roles, with a focus on masculinity. To obtain this information, I will use online search engines, to investigate the spread of this form of literature as well search for the most popular manga in recent times, organizing my findings based on those that question the concept of hegemonic masculinity. To make my research easier to read through, I have organized my paper into sections. In the first section, I will define hegemonic masculinity, outlining the traits that most consider to make a “man”. In the second section, I explain the basics of manga in general for those who aren’t experienced in this form of literature, or informed of it’s popularity. In the third section I will look specifically into the genre of shoujo manga and its contrasting relationship with hegemonic masculinity, along with it’s spread throughout East Asia. In my fourth and final section, I will look at the effects that manga has on a global scale, and how helped to revolutionize as well as it’s effects on a global
The topic of masculinity is a topic that is often discussed and interpreted in today’s society. Many wonder what it means to be masculine or if we can even describe such a broad term. What is a man’s rights and responsibilities? What should a “man” be like, and what must they do to fulfill their roles? Most people will answer that masculinity can be interpreted as something close to hegemony, a quality defined by dominance, control, and power over another. This interpretation is prevalent in countries such as Turkey, where researchers found that “the expression of power reinforces a persons’ masculinity” (Bozkurt 259), Sweden, where “hegemonic masculinity is presented both as a problematic, normalized and idealized masculinity …show more content…
Specifically, I will be focusing on the content and stories presented by manga which offer a different take on standard gender roles, with a focus on masculinity. To obtain this information, I will use online search engines, to investigate the spread of this form of literature as well search for the most popular manga in recent times, organizing my findings based on those that question the concept of hegemonic masculinity. To make my research easier to read through, I have organized my paper into sections. In the first section, I will define hegemonic masculinity, outlining the traits that most consider to make a “man”. In the second section, I explain the basics of manga in general for those who aren’t experienced in this form of literature, or informed of it’s popularity. In the third section I will look specifically into the genre of shoujo manga and its contrasting relationship with hegemonic masculinity, along with it’s spread throughout East Asia. In my fourth and final section, I will look at the effects that manga has on a global scale, and how helped to revolutionize as well as it’s effects on a global