Masculinity

When leaders teach young men about masculinity they show that they must be strong, emotionless, and confident. The patriarchal society we have built has taught men to be ashamed of the feminine ideal. In his article “Masculinity as Homophobia: Fear, Shame, and Silence in the Construction of Gender Identity”, Michael S. Kimmel states that “fear of being seen as a sissy dominates the cultural definition of manhood” (Kimmel 214) The moment society tells young boys to “man up” becomes the instant…

of ‘hegemonic masculinity’ and the corresponding ‘emphasized femininity’ have been formulated three decades ago and they are still one of the cornerstones of gender sociology. They have enjoyed tremendous success, as they posit a sociological theory in the true sense. With the help of Raewyn Connell’s ideas, we can make sense of how gender organizes society, specifically how ‘gender order’ and ‘social hierarchies’ structure our lives. In an expanding literature on men and masculinity at the end…

The Patriarchy of Hegemonic Masculinity Why do we, as Americans, cheer on and applaud dominant men? Our American society celebrates the hegemonic masculine traits of men, such as being the alpha-male or being the father of a family where the wife takes care of the children and the father goes to work. Dominance can be as simple as physical ability in the way that we cheer as future Hall of Famer and former Most Valuable Player, professional baseball player; Alex Rodriguez hits a walk off homerun…

Masculinity: Dominance through Music The presence of the male figure has in no doubt been very dominant throughout history and in daily life. As a society, we seem to value the power of the man and we teach our children to value and embody that power as well. Our society over time has developed certain expectations and roles we expect men and women to exemplify in their daily life. For such a long time, people have adhered to these expectations; however, these expectations have been questioned…

The word violence does not exclusively refer to actions that cause bodily harm; in contrast, violence can be inflicted emotionally and sexually as well (Effects of masculinity, sex, and control). Both males and females utilize violence as a way to manipulate others (Effects of masculinity, sex, and control). Consequently, gender alone does not sufficiently account for all violent behavior. Factors that influence a person’s proclivity to behave violently include their age (the relationship of…

ideology on “what it takes to be a man” has been effective for as long as its impact on women, and just as poisonous. The consequences and torture concealed in the pressures induced by masculinity, particularly toxic masculinity, must be brought to our attention. Characteristics of Manhood Then & Now Masculinity can be defined in various ways but all definitions revolve around the idea that it refers to the qualities associated…

1. In “Men, Masculinity, and Manhood Acts”, Shrock and Schwalbe describe the concept of “multiple manhoods”, which exist largely due to socioeconomic measures, allow men of certain means and stature the chance to fully embody a hegemonic masculinity. When men have access and control over larger quantities of resources and people, their opportunity to exert their will on others is exponentially high, due to a personal conception of superiority. However, those with fewer resources and virtually no…

This article takes the idea that masculinity and its large part of marginalization of men to task by analyzing the film Fight Club, and uses it as a foil against people today who try to pin larger issues of masculinity on urban life. Authors Aitken and Craine believe Flight Club can be viewed as alienated men confronting their selves through radical pranks to avoid larger social tensions. The article was intriguing because of its focus on how men are simultaneously playful and despairing, they…

Norman Mailer once said that “Masculinity is not something given to you, but something you gain. And you gain it by winning small battles with honor”. Masculinity, set of attributes, behaviors and roles generally associated with boys and men. It is a word that has remained a representation of what a man should be, rather than a description of how some men can be, and is considered to have many different forms. One form of masculinity emerges from the media portrayal of males through films, or a…

As a patriarchy, our society denotes men as the dominant group, and as a result, masculinity is intertwined with prestige and power. If men change their values or patterns, then society follows them. Within French nobility, the traditional masculinity of bodily strength, chivalry, and skillfulness was no longer enough to gain prestige and proper reputation. The French elite classes began to emphasize the need for gentlemanly and intellectual pursuits. King Charles the Wise hastened this…