“Masculinity is not about being the biggest, the fastest, the strongest, the one who sleeps with

the most
girls, and the one who has the most money.

And perhaps most important of all, he does not walk around thinking he’s The Man.”

MEN AND MASCULINITY

OBJECTIVES
● Understand fully men’s studies and the constructs of masculinity;
● Know fully the themes of masculinity and its relationship with well-being, fathering, domestic roles,
and drugs and alcohol, and
● Comprehend hemogenic, protest, and caring masculinities

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Masculinities - a social, cultural, and historical construction of men dependent on and related to other factors
such as class, ethnicity, sexuality, age, and
disability.

Hegemonic masculinity- a form of masculinity which is culturally dominant in a given setting.

Protest masculinity- a form of masculinity which is culturally dominant in marginalized setting.

Caring masculinity- proposes that men are able to adopt what is viewed as traditionally feminine
characteristics.

INTRODUCTION

Masculinities refer to the diverse ways in which masculinity is understood, expressed, and performed
within different cultural, social, and historical contexts. Unlike a singular concept of masculinity,
masculinities acknowledge that there are multiple and fluid expressions of what it means to be masculine. This
recognition challenges the notion of a fixed and universal understanding of masculinity, highlighting instead its
complexity and variability.

A growing body of literature theorizing men and masculinities focuses on a variety of topics including men's
violence, fatherhood, pornography, men's crimes, female masculinity, male femininity, etc. These
studies arose despite the clear dominance of men over global economic and political power. Men make up a large
majority of corporate executives, top professionals, and holders of public office.

The study of masculinities explores how gender norms and expectations shape the identities and
behaviors of men and boys, as well as how these norms intersect with other social categories such as race, class,
sexuality, and nationality. It recognizes that masculinity is not inherent but constructed through a dynamic
interplay of individual experiences, societal influences, and power dynamics.
MEN’S RIGHTS LOBBY

The men's rights movement has gained attention in recent years, often in response to feminist movements
and discussions around gender equality. Some proponents argue that men face unique challenges and injustices
in society, which they believe need to be addressed separately from, or in addition to, women's rights issues.

The men's rights lobby presents various arguments advocating for the recognition and advancement of
men's rights in society. Some common arguments include:

Legal Equity: Advocates argue that in many legal spheres, men face discrimination or bias. They
point to issues such as custody battles, where they believe courts often favor mothers over fathers, or
alimony payments, where men sometimes feel unfairly burdened. They advocate for equal treatment
under the law regardless of gender.

Education Disparities: Men's rights activists often highlight educational disparities, pointing out
that boys are falling behind in education compared to girls. They argue for initiatives to address this
gap and ensure boys receive equal opportunities in schooling.

Health Disparities: Men's rights advocates point out that men face unique health challenges and
disparities, such as shorter life expectancy and higher rates of suicide. They call for increased
awareness and resources to address men's health issues.

Gender Stereotyping: Advocates argue against harmful gender stereotypes that they believe negatively
impact men, such as the expectation to be strong and emotionless. They advocate for a more inclusive
definition of masculinity that allows men to express themselves fully without fear of judgment.

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: While much of the focus on these issues is on women as victims,
men's rights activists argue that men can also be victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. They
advocate for support services and legal protections for male victims.

Fatherhood and Parental Rights: Men's rights advocates often highlight challenges faced by fathers,
including difficulties in obtaining custody or visitation rights after divorce. They argue for a more
equitable approach to parenting that recognizes the importance of fathers in children's lives.

Selective Service and Military Service Obligations: In countries with mandatory military service or
selective service registration, men's rights activists may argue against the gender-based nature of these
requirements, advocating for gender-neutral policies.

It's important to note that while many of these arguments have valid points, the men's rights movement has also
been criticized for sometimes downplaying or ignoring the systemic discrimination and disadvantages faced by
women and other marginalized groups.

MASCULINITY THEMES

MASCULINITY
 ● social, cultural, and historical construct dependent on to other factors:
- class
- Ethnicity
- Sexuality
- age
- disability

Researchers on men's studies and masculinity established common themes which strengthened and developed
this evolving concepts;
1. Multiple Masculinity
2. Hierarchy and hegemony
3. Collective masculinities

1. MULTIPLE MASCULINITY
● There is no pattern of masculinity that is found everywhere. Meaning that across different
places, there's a distinct classification of masculinity.
● Different cultures and different periods of history, Construct masculinity differently.
● Masculinity in working class life is different from the meaning in middle class life and the same
goes among the very rich and the very poor.
● Masculinities cannot be delimited to a sole definition. as various countries, culture, and levels
in life view this concept differently

2. HIERARCHY AND HEGEMONY

HIERARCHY OF MASCULINITIES by Raewyn Connell

1. Hegemonic Masculinity
2. Complicit Masculinity
3. Marginalized Masculinity
4. Subordinate Masculinity

HEGEMONIC MASCULINITY

● According to Kimmel (1997), hegemonic masculinity: "contains within it the image of the 'man' in
power, a man with power and a man of power. We equate manhood with being strong, successful,
capable, reliable, in control.
● Form of masculinity which is culturally dominant in a given setting.
● "Hegemonic" signifies a position of cultural authority and leadership but not total dominance as other
forms of masculinity persist alongside.
● Hegemonic masculinity embodies popular heroes, role models, and fictional characters.
● The very definitions of manhood we have developed in our culture maintain the power that some men
have over other men and that men have over women.
● " Hegemonic masculinity was understood as the pattern of practice that allowed men's dominance over
women to continue.
 ● Hegemonic masculinity embodied the currently most honored way of being a man as it required all
other men to position themselves in relation to it and it ideologically legitimated the global
subordination of women to men.
● Men who received the benefits of patriarchy without enacting a strong version of masculine dominance
could be regarded as showing a complicit masculinity.
● Hegemony did not mean violence, although it could be supported by force; it meant ascendancy
achieved through culture, institutions, and persuasion.
● Hegemonic masculinity in Western society hinges on heterosexuality, economic autonomy, being able
to provide for one's family, being rational, being successful, keeping one's emotions in check, and above
all, not doing anything considered feminine.
● Hegemonic male norms stress values such as courage, aggression, autonomy, mastery, technological
skill, adventure, toughness in mind and body.
● Moreover, hegemonic masculinity is hegemonic not just in relation to other masculinities, but in
relation to the gender order as a whole. It is an expression of the privilege men collectively have over
women.
● The hierarchy of masculinities is an expression of the unequal shares in that privilege held by different
groups of men. Thus, some masculinities are deemed as higher than the others, as well as higher than
other forms of gender.

COMPLICIT MASCULINITY

● These are men who show some traits of hegemonic masculinity

● are those who benefit in general from the social dominance of men, while not actively seeking to
oppress women.
- Ex. a man who is not physically strong but adheres to other hegemonic traits.

MARGINALIZED MASCULINITY

● A form of masculinity that is unable to conform to or derive benefits from hegemonic masculinity.
● Marginalized masculinity might refer to a lack of some of the characteristics of hegemonic masculinity,
like being disabled or non-white.
● Men cannot be identified as hegemonic masculinity because of certain traits such as race. These men
follow the norm behavior of men

SUBORDINATE MASCULINITY

● These men show the opposite traits of the masculinity

● Encompasses men who are lower on the gender hierarchy because they do not act in accordance with
hegemonic masculinity
● The most notable example of subordinate masculinity is gay men, being overly emotional, or not being
heterosexual.

3. COLLECTIVE MASCULINITIES
 ● Gender structures of a society define particular patterns of conduct of individuals as either "masculine"
or "feminine". These patterns exist at the collective level-in institutions, such as corporations, armies,
governments, and even schools.
● Masculinities are also defined collectively in the workplace and informal groups like street gangs.
● Masculinity also exists impersonally in culture. Such as in Video games, Cinema/TV Shows, Sports, the
Internet, etc.

MASCULINITIES AND WELL-BEING

● Research confirms a strong association between rigid norms about what it means to be a man and men's
negative health practices and vulnerabilities (Barker et al. 2011).
● Men are unlikely to talk about their worries and more likely to drink and engage in other destructive
behaviors when stressed. (Möller-Leimkühler 2003; Emslie et al. 2006).
● Culturally dominant forms of masculinity, which often urge men to practice strict emotional control,
serve as barriers to health- and help-seeking behavior, or encourage some men to engage in practices
detrimental to their own health and that of their families.
● Evidence confirms that death and disability rates related to alcohol and substance abuse are considerably
higher for men than for women, making substance abuse and addiction predominantly male
phenomena worldwide (Pyne et al. 2002; WHO 2004).
● A component of dominant masculinity that seems to be almost universal is the need for physical
strength (Katz 1999). According to Katz (2003), globalization has pushed the physical manifestation of
hegemonic masculinity through toys, movies, and other products. He also draws attention to the
unrealistic growth of action figures' biceps, which are frequently portrayed as being larger than the
heads of the dolls. Katz goes beyond to say that these toys reinforce the association of masculinity with
violence, even when that violence is sometimes heroic.

FAMILY FORMATION, FATHERING, CAREGIVING AND DOMESTIC ROLES

● According to Barker and Pawlak (2011)

- Research shows that men are, on average, not greatly increasing their role in household work
and unpaid care.

● According to Dykstra and Keizer (2009)

- lest do they know, men are missing out in not engaging more in their domestic and family
roles.
- It has been shown that being involved in the lives of their children brings psychological and
health benefits to men.
 ● According to Ruhm, Sakardi et al. (2000) & Bremberg (2008);
- Research on child development demonstrates lasting benefits to children of their fathers’
involvement, in terms of their confidence and school performance.

● According to National Center on Fathers and Families (2002) & Brown and Chevannes (1998);
- It was said that men may contribute to the “domestic enterprise” in other important ways,
including through providing financial support, accompanying children to activities outside of
school or home.

● According to Hernandez (1996), Garcia and Oliveira (2004), Barker and Verani (2008);
- Better-educated men are more likely to put more time into domestic roles and caregiving.
- Men's schooling may have expanded their sense of norms and weakened stereotypes through
their exposure to broader ideas and more diverse people.

MASCULINITIES AND ALCOHOL & DRUG USE

● According to Room et al. (2002):

- The number of men that drink is larger than that of women.

- Men drink in greater amounts and more often than women.

- Men have a higher tendency to face alcohol-related health and social problems than women.

● Drinking encourages solidarity and stimulates courage in many settings.

● Drunkenness makes fights and homicides rationalized.
● Women are encouraged to tolerate men being drunk as part of them being men.

PROTEST MASCULINITY

● Hegemonic masculinity but in a socially-deprived environment (poverty).

● A form of marginalized masculinity.
● High levels of physical aggression, which includes destructiveness, low tolerance for delay of
gratification, crime, drinking etc.
● It is often a product of narcissism built from feelings of powerlessness and insecurity.

CARING MASCULINITY
 ● It highlights the virtuous impact of reshaping male identities and practices for gender equality
improvements in societies.
● Strong ally against hegemonic masculinity.
● Its concept depicts the idea of men being able to adopt what is viewed as traditionally feminine
characteristics without departing from or rejecting masculinity.
● Masculine identities that exclude domination and embrace the effective, relational, emotional, and
interdependent quality of care; a critical form of men's engagement in gender equality
● It entails a mindful refusal of hegemonic masculinity and inherent prerogatives.
● Viewed as a form of "new man."

“Men are not just Men”

- Group 5

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