Analysis Of Hyper-Masculinity In Brownsville

Society faces an issue that is not usually addressed because it is seen as the norm in today’s American culture. It is the crisis of masculinity. The notion of how men should be portrayed is not usually identified as a problem; today’s society views men’s apathetic and exasperated exterior as the orthodox behavior of everyday life. Boys at a young age are taught by the popular culture that they need to be a “real man” - strong physically and emotionally. The mask many men put up is based on the extreme idea of masculinity that emphasizes toughness, physical strength and gaining the respect of others through violence or the explicit threat of it. This front is put up by men because they do not want to stray from what is accepted, for men who

In Paul Theroux’s article “The Male Myth” Theroux makes a point that he does not like the stereotypes placed on men in today’s society. Theroux’s article is focused on exposing the stereotypes that men face and the reasons for their occurrence. He claims that writers and many others are directly affected by the expectations of masculinity that are thoroughly incorporated in America. The ideas of masculinity are deeply rooted in high school sports, in the view of the president, and in many other areas. Theroux attempts to prove that being a man in American is, “…pitiful, a little like having to wear an ill-fitting coat for one’s entire life.”

The language needed to change this paradigm is seen as “sensitive and feminine” and using this language risks being “emasculated”. Black portrays men sympathetically, showing that he is not aggressive towards men, but rather understands the cause of the problem, and recognizes that it is not necessarily the fault of men. Instead, this “toxic masculinity” is the fault of old stereotypes and masculinity being “strength”and “aggression and competitiveness.”

No matter what, we are almost always talking about violence masculinity in America. Whether we are talking about the horrifying, high-profile mass shooting we have seen over recent decades, the far greater rates of murder and gun violence we see on a day – to – day basis that barely register in the national news, or the epidemic of sexual violence and domestic violence, the vast majority of this violence is committed by men, young men, and boys (Jackson Katz, 2013). Throughout this essay the topics covered will be how culture defines masculinity, according to the film, violent masculinity as a cultural norm, agents of socialization that teach boys how to be men, the cool

Tall, dark, and handsome has long been the standard of a desirable man. There is undoubtedly something about a “man’s man” that is intriguing and beguiling. However, there must be a point where too much masculinity becomes a problem. As society continues to praise men with the biggest muscles, the nicest cars, and the most women, it is becoming increasingly hard to draw the line between healthy masculinity and toxic masculinity. In Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, toxic ideas about what it means to be masculine ultimately ruins several characters, but most overtly Stanley, Stella, and Blanche, showing that toxic masculinity is a threat to everyone’s well-being, both male and

In Michael Kimmel’s non-fiction academic book chapter: “Bros Before Hos: The Guycode” is an excerpt from his critically acclaimed book Guyland released in 2008, that addresses the ideals and fundamentals of where masculinity stems from and society’s direct effect on young men and the creation of the modern day masculine male. Michael Kimmel’s combination of credible resources, informative personal research, and real-life personal narratives that help to establish and support his strong and feasible argument, of societies effect on male masculinity, that readers alike can relate to and understand.

In the 1960s, Black masculinity was reshaped by the newly acquired political power of the Civil Rights era. Notions of the ‘good negro’ (or obedient/deferential negro) were purposefully destroyed and replaced with a more defiant/revolutionary representation. The 1960s-70s played a pivotal role in the creation of this aggressive male identity. Specifically, the combination of the media’s portrayal of the antagonistic Black Power Movement, and record crime rates in African American neighborhoods, created feared images of African American men (Milton).”

In Guyland, Michael Kimmel chronicles the journey of young males and the issues they face while trying to exert their masculinity and prove themselves to their peers. Based on interactions among North American males between the ages of 16 and 26, Kimmel has found that at an age where young men had previously prepped for a life of work and committed relationships, they are now living in “Guyland” where they spend their time drinking, playing video games, and having immature relations with women. Kimmel explains that these young men are “frighteningly dependent on peer culture” and “desperate to prove their masculinity in the eyes of other boys.” (30) These young men live in constant fear that they will not measure up to the ideals of

The movie surveyed a wide array of the troubles faced by boys and men as they try to navigate the realm of masculinity. A common theme was the command “be a man” and the cultural baggage that comes with living up to that ideal. To “be a man” means to not cry, to not be sensitive, to not let people mess with you, to respond with violence, to be angry, to drink, to womanize.

High school, the best years of your life with everyday shaping and molding you from a feminine boy to becoming a respectable masculine adult, in truth its surviving everyday without being called a fag. In C.J. Pascoe’s ethnography she examines the dynamics of masculinity carefully exploring gender conformity that’s extracted from a collection of humiliations, fears and anxieties among high school boys. Within the eighteen months that Pascoe tediously studied the students of River High, she opened my mind to reminisce about my high school years at El Capitan. From the pep rallies in the gym to the weight room discussions, however, Pascoe’s research expressed a deeper meaning to the formation of gender identities in

In today’s society, masculinity has changed throughout time. Fast forward one hundred years ago, masculinity is defined as being strong and having a good paying job. But as the world is changing so is the representation of manliness. You don’t have to show your dominance over men or women today, but you should support your family nowadays and we have all been brainwashed by the thought of masculinity from our ancestors. As men our reputation is always being valued but now it isn’t so much about our reputation but about caring for one another and especially for our families. Perspective of manhood is also a significant factor in portraying what masculinity is in the eyes of other people. Masculinity has been shown through money, appearance, and providing protection for your family members but as we shift into the modern world, masculinity is not seen as displaying the most discipline but caring for one another by taking out some of your time to help one another. Throughout the paper, I will be writing about my interviews from a broad spectrum of ages from one of my younger sisters to my dad with not friends not at Seb’s in between so I can get what it really means to be a man from all ages.

In the book Guyland, Michael Kimmel collects past information from history and interviews and combines his sociological perspective to map out a thorough review of the social environment that consist of young males in North America. The subjects of Kimmel’s observations were between the ages of 16 and 26. These males are also predominately white and attend college. This demographic that the author has labeled “Guyland” occurs during the formative years for young men. These subjects are filled with pride and a sense of brotherhood with a set of standards that all within the circle conform to. The group of guys that were observed during Kimmel’s research often times showed signs of promiscuity and a disregard for personal responsibility. The behavior exhibited by the group seems to be a product of the community’s socialization and it has detrimental effects not only on the ones within the group, but outsiders to the group that may or may not have interaction with the guys.

Rios then goes into chapter six by explaining how masculinity is both used against and used for advantage by the adolescent boys of Oakland. Society and authority figures constantly told the boys that to become a man they had to obey the rules and laws without engaging in deviant ruthless behavior. The boys felt that they had been placed in a lose-lose situation. To compensate, the boys adopted a hyper-masculine personality so that they could feel like they had some control over their lives. The hyper-masculine persona allowed the boys to feel powerful, tough, manly, and invincible to officer brutality. However, with the increased sense of defiance the boys were brutalized and victimize even more. The boys reported taking on hyper-masculine behaviors in juvenile centers and prisons to prevent victimization. Masculinity plays a crucial role in the lives of the young men on the street in connection to the biased criminal justice system that pushes the boys into

Fruitvale Station is based on a real life event. A tragedy occured in 2009 on New Years day at the BART system in Oakland, California. The film follows Oscar Grant, a 22 year old man on that day, preceding to the event. It shows the trouble Oscar has gotten himself into in the past, such as being imprisoned. The strong bond he has with his family and friends is on full display throughout the film. Oscar makes steps towards bettering his life. His daughter being a strong focal point on him trying to change and turn his life around. His character shown extensively throughout the day. At night, Oscar goes to celebrate the New Year with his girlfriend and a few other friends, when an unfortunate incident on Fruitvale Station leads to his untimely death.

Throughout history women have been looked as less than and that they should be treated differently because of their gender. The respect or lack of respect a person has for a woman shows a lot into what kind of person they are. Women have gained more power in the United States and are getting treated better but in some different places around the world women are still treated like a piece of property. Even some women in the United States are treated like a piece of property. Women are still abused just as bad or even worse today.Many places are not willing to call out the abusers especially in places like Afghanistan because there is a high probability that nothing will happen to the abuser but thankfully in the United States women are speaking out more and have more places to turn to.