Masculinity: Masculinity is the possession of qualities that are traditionally associated with men. For example, being physically strong, knowledgeable about cars, and/or dominating women. There is no universal form of masculinity, as it varies slightly depending on place and time, but it is always defined as being whatever is not considered feminine.
Types of Masculinity: A cup of dirt, fruits for sale, xbox controller, and stack of money representing the different types of masculinity. In the genteel patriarch, masculinity and manhood were derived from land ownership. The heroic artisan was physically strong with conservative views and an independent craftsman or shopkeeper. Marketplace masculinity is a definition of masculinity still present today, idealizing aggression, competition, anxiety in the public sphere and marketplace. The norm of men in power however is hegemonic masculinity, which says that masculinity comes from acting in ways that show men as dominate and women as subordinate.
Hegemonic Masculinity: Hegemonic masculinity, a concept popularized by R. W Connell, is the idea of masculinity coming from men acting in ways that dominate women socially. However, it does not stop with women. Hegemonic masculinity also requires "real men" to police other men into following this guideline. Any male who does not go along with these practices is subject to torment by fellow males, often in the form of bullying.
Homophobia: The word itself means "the irrational fear of homosexuals", however most homophobes are more enraged than terrified. Despite 35 states approving same sex marriage (as of Nov. 25, 2014), homophobia is still common in the United States. It should be mentioned that though the majority of young people in the United States are not homophobic, the use of homophobic slurs, such as calling a person a faggot or saying "that's so gay!", is still quite popular—especially amongst teenage boys.
The Enemy Is…?: Unlike women, who know that men oppress them and can therefore retort against them, men cannot clearly identify a group that is oppressing them. Because of this, men often attribute their problems to groups not responsible such as feminists or illegal aliens. In reality, men oppress other men and force one another to conform through acts of hegemonic masculinity, attempting to dominate those males who do not act entirely masculine.
No comments:
Post a Comment