MEN AND

MASCULINITIES
Introduction
In the 1970’s, studies of different aspect of
manhood were made. The growing body of
literature theorizing men and masculinities which
focuses on a variety of topics. Men made up a
large majority of corporate executive, top
professionals, and holders of public office. Gender
popularity are constantly reinforced in the media,
hence, men now acknowledges that their position
is under challenge.
The men’s
right lobby
The myth of Male
Power:
Why are men the
disposable sex?
Men are now the gender
victims as a result of
feminism.
- Warren Farrell
 Modern legislation is seen to be
overprotective of women’s interest, resulting
in discrimination against men at a time when
they are under increasing threat within
rapidly changing society
What is
masculinity?
It is a social, cultural, and
historical construct dependent
on and related to the other
factors such as class, ethnicity,
sexuality, age, and disability.
 Themes of masculinity
01
Multiple Masculinity
• There is no one pattern of
masculinity
• Cultures and history
• The meaning of
masculinity is different in
working class
02
Hierarchy and
hegemony
• Hegemonic masculinity –
position of cultural
authority & leadership
• Embodies heroes, role
models and so on
• Expression of the privilege
men collectively have over
women
03
Collective
Masculinity
• Patterns of conduct of
individuals as either
“masculine” or “feminine”
• Collective and informal
 Related concepts

1. Masculinities and well being

2. Family formation, fathering, caregiving, and domestic roles

3. Masculinities, alcohol and drug abuse

4. Protest masculinity

5. Caring masculinity
Masculinities and Well-being
• Research confirms that men are unlikely to talk about
their worries and more likely to engage in other
destructive behaviors when stressed.

• These findings echo the evidence in the literature that

conforming to stoic and rigid notions of masculinity
contributes to suicidal behavior and depression
(Moller-Leimkuhler 2003; Emslie et al. 2006)

• Culturally dominant forms of masculinity, which often

urge men to practice strict emotional control, serve as
barrier to health and help-seeking behavior, or
encourages some men to engage in practices
detrimental to their own health and that of their family.
 Family formation, fathering, caregiving, and
domestic roles

• Domestic roles are closely associated with women as

carrying them out can involve a loss of face for men. Great
deal was heard about increases in women’s labor force
participation in recent decades but less about men’s
caregiving and domestic roles.

• Better-educated men are more likely to put more time into

domestic roles and caregiving (Hernandez 1996; Garcia and
Oliverio 2004; Baker and Verani 2008).

• Men’s schooling may have expanded their sense of norms

and weakened stereotypes through their exposure to broader
and more diverse ideas.
Masculinities, Alcohol, and Drug Abuse

• When men become drunk fights and homicides

are rationalized (Pange, 1998), and women are
encourage to tolerate men’s drunkenness as a
narutal part of their being (Caetano, 1984).

• Drug use and drug dealing can serve as ways of

constructing a powerfully masculine identity
(Collision 1996).
 Protest Masculinity

• Protest masculinity refers to describe instances

of extreme forms of sex-typed behavior on the
parts of some males.

• Key to the concept of protest masculinity are high

levels of physical agression (e.g. destructiveness,
abuse, and violence).

• Protest masculinity is often a product of

narcissism built from the feelings of
powerlessness and insecurity.
 Caring Masculinity

• Caring masculinities can be seen as masculine

identities that exclude domination and embrace the
affective, relational, emotional, and interdependent
qualities of care.

• A critical form of men’s engagement in gender equality

because doing care work requires men to resist
hegemonic masculinity and to adopt values and
characteristics of care (Elliot, 2016).

• Men who approximate this form of masculinity are

viewed as a form of “new man” (Edley and Wetherell
1999; Smith 2016; Singleton and Maher 2004).
Thank you for listening!
 References

• Adams, R. & David, S. (2002). Introduction in the Masculinity Studies Reader, ed.
Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
• Connel R. (1987). Gender and Power. Cambridge: Polity Press
• Connel R. (1987). Masculinities. Cambridge: Polity Press
• Elliot K. (2015). Caring Masculinities: Theorizing an emerging concept.