Masculinity can be interpreted that it is a social expectation of how men should behave and what

their personality should be, so it is a kind of representation of being men. According to Connel (1998),
there are four types of masculinities: hegemonic, complicit, marginalized, and subordinate.
Hegemonic masculinity might be the most influential one because it is about dominance and strength.
However, it can be said that with the impact of hegemonic masculinity and urbanization,
metrosexuality emerged. Metrosexuality is a contemporary demonstration of traditional men.
Wearing make-up, having clean and modern clothes, grooming, and taking care of himself are about
metrosexuality and men can present their character easily with this new area. Also, it is important to
have a nice relationship with women and children, so it may be indicated that it is an attempt to be
equal in both family and social life. Although metrosexuality has two positive aspects such as wanting
equality and taking care, it might cause negative body image.

Metrosexuality emphasizes self-presentation, appearance, and grooming (Rricciardelli, Clow, and

White, 2010, 65). It helps men have a more healthy body and a new representation of their
personality. Firstly, because of urbanization men started to earn more money, and in cities, cosmetics
were easier to buy so metrosexuality emerged. With the emergence of it, men started to take care of
themselves more to wear make-up, have clean and new clothes, and do sports so their bodies
become more healthy. Before metrosexuality, it may be the case that it was unpleasant for a man to
have a caring attitude toward themselves. However, metrosexuality makes it normal so it can be said
that thanks to metrosexuality men become freer. Secondly, metrosexuality brought a new area of
presenting personality in a different way to men. Especially, queer men benefit from it. According to
Chatterjee (2020), feminine traits are often paraded in queer shades in Disney movies. It might be
understood from this quote that feminine traits may wear make-up or caring for themselves, so it can
be said that queer men present themselves with make-up or having various types of clothes and using
colorful styles, they display their character without any problem. As a result, due to metrosexuality, it
is no longer difficult for men to be more healthy and show their character.

Another benefit which came with metrosexuality is wanting equality with women. Before
metrosexuality, hegemonic masculinity was the most widespread type of masculinity and it is
generally demonstrated by treating or viewing women or other minority groups as inferior(Coyne,
Shawcroft, Linder, 2022, 635). However, metrosexuality arose with gay liberation and denied traits of
hegemonic masculinity, so it denied having an oppressed relationship with women, children, and
other men (Rricciardelli, Clow, and White, 2010, 65). Metrosexuality has roots in the 1980s because
before its development The First Sexual Revolution occurred and it changed gender rules and both
men and women wanted equality. Metrosexuality was developed with the idea of equality. Wearing
make-up or grooming was not seen as only women can do them, but both men and women may use
them. Also, it may be indicated that normalization of them for men alter the social taboo about
women or children such as thinking of weakness as an undesirable trait and it is not seen as a flaw. As
a result, one of the pleasant effects of metrosexuality might contribute to equality between men and
women.

Despite the benefits of metrosexuality, it has a negative side which might drive men to feel
dissatisfied with their bodies and it may turn men's bodies into sexual objects. Firstly, especially
celebrities promoted the transformation of the body from being less athletic and muscular to having a
muscular and strong body (Simpson, 2016). Also, men's magazines which advertise metrosexuality
cover the first page with picture of men whose body is sexualized and some of the advertisements or
films display men who are desired because of their physical appearance. These examples might result
in negative body image because not every man can reach a muscular body or be physically attractive.
Secondly, men's bodies are used as sexual objects. In the Mark Simpson 's video(2016), there is a
commercial which shows a man whose body is muscular and desired. The aim of this kind of
demonstrations might attract customers and sell a product easily. However, using men's bodies in this
way, commercials may objectify the male body. Therefore, even though metrosexuality seems it does
not preserve traits of hegemonic masculinity, it continues to breed the idealized male body and takes
advantage of it.

To conclude, there are distinctive types of masculinities and the most dominant one was hegemonic
masculinity. It triggers the evolution of metrosexuality. Metrosexuality encourages men to be more
healthy and offers a new method of representation of personality to men by driving them to do sports
and wearing make-up or creating their own style. In spite of these positive sides, having a muscular
body which is also important for hegemonic masculinity remains in metrosexuality and it contributes
to negative body image by displaying a muscular male body as normal and desired. It might be said
that metrosexuality influences society and how a male body should be. Metrosexuality may exploit
the male body and take advantage of it.

WORKS CITED

Chatterjee, Meghna. 2020. “The Problematic Representation of Queer Masculinity in Disney Films.”
https://feminisminindia.com/2020/09/21/problematic-representation-queer-masculinity-disneyfilms/

Connell, Reawyn. 1993. “The Big Picture: Masculinities in Recent World History.” Theory and Society,
no.5 (October): 597-623

Coyne, Sarah, Jane Shawcroft, Jennifer Ruh Linder, Haley Graver, Matthew Siufanua, and Hailey G.
Holmgren. 2022. “Making Men of Steel: Superhero Exposure and the Development of Hegemonic
Masculinity in Children.” Sex Roles, no.11 (June): 634-647. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-022-
01293-2

Ricciardelli, Rosmary, Kimberley A. Clow, and Philip White. 2010. “Investigating Hegemonic
Masculinity: Portrayals of Masculinity in Men’s Lifestyle Magazines.” Sex Roles, no.1 (March): 64-78

Simpson, Mark. “From Metrosexual to Spornosexual - A Permanent, Spectacular Revolution.” April 5,

2016. Educational video, 18:27. https://youtu.be/YYMmEy5F11I