Being a Man Essay

As a man, I know that men are just as “weak” or “fragile” as women, but I don’t think that I’ve ever heard a man admit that. I also know that statement alone, if it were somehow to be broadcasted, would draw tremendous criticism, and probably even more hatred and disgust, from many other males. But, it’s nevertheless true. However, that isn’t what we, as citizens of the United States, are taught. From early on, we have had the narrative of rugged and fearless men who make tremendous sacrifices…

bellicose or tough to impress society and prove themselves as being ‘manly’ men. Making it very difficult for young men and boys to truly express themselves and let others into their personal lives. Crying, self expression, and asking for help are healthy traits for the growth of young boys and men. Without them, young boys could very potentially not be mentally healthy, and may become hostile and unable to connect to other human beings later on in life. Traditionally men are supposed to “be…

Despite this being a big moment for Jess—one that “no amount of advice [she]’d received from the older butches [could] prepare [her] for” (71-72), this is also the moment Jess cements herself as a real butch. This is now what it means to be a gay woman for Jess. Yet, in many ways, Jess’s coming into her own as a butch is less about coming into her own and more about becoming what she’s been told a butch “ought” to be like. That is to say, here gender identity functions…

Being a Man Is it muscles and strength, is it bearing facial hair, is it the clothes you wear or how you look, is it measured by success, is it the amount money they have, is it based on the power or title they hold, or is it something else? What makes a man? What does it mean to be a man? There are many definitions of what a man is in today’s society. For some it is wealth, for others it maybe being hairy muscular, and some see having a family makes you a man, but do all these really make a…

a psychological term for the exaggeration of male stereotypical behavior, such as an emphasis on physical strength, aggression, and sexuality. Hyper Masculinity concerns the emphasis on particular character traits that correspond to what defines a man. It is evident that although masculinity is a social construct the idea of what defines masculinity has become so normalized that even before a child enters the world action is taken to ensure these traits are adopted. There are many reasons why…

identifies many characteristics of the ‘real man’, as he identifies the character traits of strong, hard, tough, in control, dominant, ego driven, and sexualizing as main character traits of the real man. Hip hop defines the real man as tough and hard because it dates back to the concept of that a man has to be strong and tough to defend and support his family. A man seen as soft would usually be subject to feminizing and racially degrading insults. A real man is ego driven because most rappers…

is dark, mysterious, and incredibly thick. The tall trees seem to radiate a sense of wonder, yes, but also terror. A place of mystery, this is by no means a place for children. Suddenly, a young boy in a green cape breaks through the trees. He is being chased by unseen forces. Although they are never seen, the terror on the boy’s face relays the danger of his pursuers. He runs and runs, stopping only to catch his breath before taking off again. Every time he stops, it is only for a short while,…

The short story “The Open Boat” by author Stephen Crane, tells the tale of four unlucky men that become stranded at sea in a small lifeboat after they are forced to abandon their steamship. The survivors were composed of an oiler, a cook, a captain and a correspondent. At first the men focus on keeping the lifeboat afloat as they wait for someone to come and rescue them. However, soon the gravity of the situation hits the men and they realize that they are on their own, so the four men then…

little more than slaves to satisfying man’s ego. The emotive, “O curse of marriage!” further elucidates how union between man and woman can be seen as a penalty that suspends freedom. Subsequently, supposed infidelity can be detrimental to a married man’s image, as the repetition of “Reputation, reputation, reputation!” demonstrates that image constitutes what it is to be a man. However, men alone can affect the masculinity of others, as portrayed through the use of animalistic imagery in “Old…

Men have always been seen as the dominant leader. For women, they don’t receive any sort of credit when they accomplish something equally as a man would. The media is manipulating the minds of many Americans to get them to think men are the best in this country. The media has restricted women from showing the people that they can be just as powerful as a man has been. Therefore, the media needs to change the way it influences people to think a certain way. Many men are concerned that women…