Masculinity And Social Construction Of Masculinity

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word Masculine as “Male: having qualities appropriate to or usually associated with a man” (Merriam-Webster). While another source, the popular comedic Urban Dictionary, presents a more satirical definition of the word Masculine, "Often defined as aggressive, strong, and unfeeling or stoic. Being masculine means in modern times, at least, no shows of emotion, no flamboyance, no hugging or even looking at other men, must be interested in sports and physical/violent activity” (Urban Dictionary). Obviously the Urban Dictionary is a comedic source and should not hold the same weight as the definition that comes from the academic source of Merriam-Webster, but the truth that is within the comedy, the absurd structure of what a man should be, is brought out into the light. A question many before us and many after us have and will attempt to answer is how is masculinity defined? The unfortunately anticlimactic answer to this is that masculinity is simply what a man chooses to do. In a world of both gender inequity and rapidly shifting gender roles, the term masculinity is becoming more and more simple in definition. In a video made by the Huffington Post to show how modern men described the word masculine, most used dominant diction such as “power,” “dominance,” “strong,” and “alpha” (Genuske). It wasn 't long ago when the word Presidential was synonym to masculine, but with the upcoming 2016 election and the first female to run for a

Society’s current structure of masculinity is unforgiving in form. It cuts out other forms of masculinity, it physically and mentally demanding, and its ill effects extend far beyond the men it infuses itself in. Yet what would we do if we were given other options for masculinity, ones that allowed for unique blends of attitudes and perceptions? Looking in to the lives of homeless men we can see the forced strategies which create new masculine codes created for the adaption against patriarchal pressures. They are made out of survival need to circumnavigate the painful mental and physical reality that is only made worse by harsh masculine standards. Yet these new masculinities hold out a form of hopefulness for society. They offer up new discussion to what it means to be a man, the potential for change, and what we can expect from changes in male identity over time. Using what we learn from the disadvantaged, we can hope to improve the lives of people, although the process will take time, effort, and careful mediation.

Masculinity has changed very little over time. By definition, to be masculine is to be tough, having little or no emotion, and having great physical strength and endurance. Men are thought to be natural leaders and should accept the role of dominating the household (both his wife and children. “Inequality between women and men is a worldwide social phenomenon”. (Schaefer, R., 2012. p354)

To read Babio without recognizing the gender politics at work in the play would disregard much of how the play itself creates meaning. So much of the play’s plot and character dynamics are related to the way gender functions in this play. One major theme of Babio is the idea of masculinity and how masculinity is defined. Through the portrayal of Babio as an effeminate character, Babio is able to define masculinity through absences in Babio’s Character. Consequently, Babio makes the additional point that lovesickness is not an intrinsic aspect of medieval masculinity, despite the fact that love sickness is often attributed to men.

Masculinity is a topic that has been debated in our society extensively, through research as well as in informal settings. Many wonder what it means to be masculine, and if we can really assign a definition to such a subjective term. After all, shouldn't one's own perception be the determinant of what constitutes masculinity? This self-construction would be the ideal in our society, but unfortunately, it represents a false belief. Masculinity has certain characteristics assigned to it by our culture. In this paper I will explore the many facets of masculinity and demonstrate how certain beliefs pertaining to it are perpetuated in our society. I will also uncover many of the contradictions between society's assigned definition of

My study looks at how all my texts are connected by portrayals of masculinity and conformity. All of these texts have main characters who struggle with the demands of masculinity and the pressures to conform to society’s view of masculinity. The texts that I am using are Foreskins Lament by Greg McGee, The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola, Kite Runner by and The Tomcat by James K Baxter. This interests me because I am a young man beginning my adult life and I feel a lot of pressure to conform to what society thinks is a good man.

Social construction is defined as “a socially created aspect of social life” (Board of studies, 2009, pg.52) and has played a significant role in the way gender roles for males is perceived in society. Masculinity is “the meaning and expressions given to being male and the social organisation of men’s lives and relations” (WHO, 2010, pg.10). Masculinity has adapted throughout the years in regards to how the society that we live in has socially constructed standards for males and how it has affected masculinity. Therefore it has allowed individuals to conform to what society requires males to be. Factors that play a role in the social construction of masculinity are parents/friends, the media, ethnicity and the government.

Everyone who does not fit the idea of masculinity has been placed in the other category. Kids have a hard time to self-identify themselves because of all the masculine role moles that present themselves in the media. Masculinity has created a structured binary that makes their role the ideal role for society to be. That ideal role is traced back to a long history of old traditions, that society cannot look past. This ideal of masculinity has created complications within gender and sexuality that have made people hold onto heteronormative ideals. The heteronormative ideals have created a privilege society where the white males dominate the world and place everyone who does not fit in their binary into the other people category.

This paper is devoted to the research of masculinity, in particular, to the way men lead conversations, putting major focus on gossiping. For a long time they suggested that gossiping refers exceptionally to females, but the research proves that men gossips much more frequently than women, taking a great pleasure from this process.

Masculinity and Femininity are concepts that have adapted with the times but certain representations remain as reminders to the past.

In 2014, twenty-four-year-old football player, Michael Sam, was the first openly gay man to be drafted into the NFL. The country rejoiced at the fact that not all gay men were “sissies”. The feminine man stereotype is perceived as bad and negative; yet, most gay men have most likely had at least one “feminine” experience. However, no one knows why, exactly, that is. Why is it that there is a very evident stereotype that all gay men, do traditionally feminine things? Even more so, why is that stereotype mostly true? Where does this stereotype come from? And finally, why is there such a negative stigma? The feminine gay man stereotype has lived on for centuries, and will most likely continue for many more. It is

As described in the dictionary, masculinity is to, “have qualities appropriate to or usually associated with a man.” (Merriam-Webster Inc. 2004) Masculinity is defined more as a social than a biological convention. For example, society defines masculinity as a set of traits within behaviors and roles generally associated with boys or men. This is where the stereotypes of

This dissertation explores an emerging masculinity with an unlikely genesis stemming from a television program called My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I call this developing form of masculinity “concordant masculinity” which defines itself through harmony by means of collaboration and agreement without coercion or appropriation. This form of masculinity varies from other structures of the term in that it allows for greater gender fluidity and a wider array of gender performances while further fracturing contemporary understandings of traditional masculinity. Simultaneously, concordant masculinity does not dismiss or marginalize other types of masculinity as previous constructs have a tendency to do. Moreover, compromise is a key component

Since the day you’re born, society has told you what you can and cannot play with, wear, and even say.The United States has designed an unrealistic definition of American masculinity. For men, society has told them how they are to fit into society’s mold of masculinity. They are bombarded with rules and restrictions, and are told that if they do not conform to fit the picture of the ideal man, they are deemed “different”, a misfit. Being a “real” man has never been harder, and many people and companies are starting to see that. In recent news, Mattel, the worldwide company that is behind the Barbie doll, is a symbol for young girls and feminism. Recently, the Barbie company has embraced that not only young girls like to play with their dolls but also boys can enjoy them without feeling like their masculinity is being challenged. They released their first commercial that features a boy playing with their newest barbie, “Moschino Barbie.” Their ad allows men of all ages to change the way society defines their masculinity through changing the way “female” activities are viewed. Boys are born loving creatures, but at a very young age they are taught the traits, diminutive language, and mindset that aligns them with society’s concept of what it means to be a man.

Masculinity-femininity measurement is tended to as a society, not an individual's trademark and alludes to the conveyance of qualities between the sexual orientation. Masculinity is the inverse of femininity; together, they form one of the measurements of national societies. The Masculinity side of this dimension represents a preference in society for achievement, heroism, assertiveness and material rewards for success. Society at large is more competitive (Geert-hofstede.com, 2010). Masculine cultures have a tendency to be goal-oriented and need to exceed expectations. In masculine societies, men are relied upon to be competitive. A society is called feminine when there is not a solid separation between the sexual orientations for passionate