Masculinity

femininity subscribes to the older notion that a woman’s ultimate role is to be a wife and mother meaning she cares for her family by being the sole contributor to the domestic chores (Friedan, 1963 and Hochschild, 1989). Traditional masculinity or hegemonic masculinity describes men as strong, controlling, powerful breadwinners who do not participate in domestic duties because domesticity is a feminine concept (Johnston, Rodney, & Chong, 2014). These traditional…

Introduction I am studying Connell 's concept of hegemonic masculinity because I want to challenge all assumptions about the gender system and raise a series of problems and issues about masculinity. I want to emphasize the plurality and diversity of men 's experiences along the lines of class, race, sexual orientation, and ability. Furthermore, the common misunderstanding of hegemonic masculinity is that the concept is referred to men behaving badly or being hyper-masculine. However, it is…

Understanding Hegemonic Masculinities in Nerd Culture In this essay I will explore the theory of hegemonic masculinities in relation to two texts, the first being the theoretical framework in the book chapter Understanding Men on Television (Lotz), then I will show how this theory of hegemonic masculinities plays out in Your Princess is in Another Castle; Misogyny, Entitlement, and Nerds (Chu). The ideas of hegemonic masculinities can be understood in relation to what it means to be apart of…

Sociology tutorial assignment 1 What is the relationship between femininities and masculinities? What is considered as masculine or feminine is not only restricted to being male or female, although it does play a part in reinforcing the gender ideas that have emerged (Schippers, 2007). “Masculinity” (Schippers, 2007) and “femininity” (Schippers, 2007) can be considered as complex terms, which have various roles and beliefs attached to them and both can be said to influence or have been…

Throughout the play of Antigone, Sophocles emphasizes Antigone’s unexpected masculinity, her determination to correct a wrong, and her defiance of the patriarchal system led by Creon in order to show that society is hostile to deviant females. When Antigone takes the role of executing the burial of her brother’s body, she is unexpectedly assuming masculine traits, as Ancient Greek women were not the first ones to bury their loved ones, and is receiving societal backlash when she does so. When…

Masculinity is the most prevalent theme in the article “Boy” by Mark Behr, which depicts a father-son relationship. Undoubtedly a father will teach their child certain rules of life, but what is unique about this relationship is that the constant demands the father urges the son to do revolve around what may be considered “manly” work. These constant demands for the child to emphasize his manliness are a result of the father’s worry about his child’s sexuality. Although Present day families are…

the pure, rugged masculinity that America holds in such high esteem. He’s often quoted for saying, “Only those Americans who are willing to die for their country are fit to live.” The United States has elevated that value of sacrifice into the American mythos. That this has happened is no coincidence as the United States is a culture with a strong element of hegemonic masculinity. Hegemonic masculinity, a concept created by sociologist Raewyn Connell, is a strain of masculinity…

This paper will approach the film, Fight Club through a feminists approach in order to uncover the film’s assessment of contemporary masculinity. In addition, this paper will identify how capitalism and the rise of consumerism has challenged the notion of traditional manhood and propelled the ‘contemporary man’ to either become effeminized or challenge these oppressive values in an attempt to re-conquer a space and activity that is purely masculine. Thus, the exclusion of women and the…

No man feels left out in the test of masculinity. The play, The Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller’s The Death of a Salesman have their male characters’ different perspectives on masculinity yet the same goal on proving they are masculine. Despite all the characters’ differences, they all want to fit into this idea of themselves being masculine to the point of incorporating it into their actions, words, achievements, goals, and frustration. Male characters like Mitch…

A male’s masculinity is elusive as it is undefinable throughout the changing ages of society and the cultures within. It is a tedious societal process that is taught to boys from a young age that to be a man, they need to act the part of one. Whether it be through the way how they dress to the toys they play with as children, men have been placed into a role that separates them not only from their female counterparts but from society as a whole. To reinforce this image of masculinity, aggression…