Masculinity As A Foreign Policy

In America, a culture of sustained racism and sexism influences foreign policymakers, which results in colonialism and imperialism, the desecration of nations, and militancy. The authors of the articles, Michael L. Krenn and Laura McEnaney, with differing skill sets, provide evidence of racial and gendered bias in foreign policy. In “The Adaptable Power of Racism,” Krenn expertly examines the history of racism within foreign policy; how racism adapted in the face of religious and scientific challenges, and the overall effects of racist foreign policies.1 McEnaney, in “Gender Analysis and Foreign Relations,” provides a lackluster account of the application of gender analysis to foreign policy, specifically in relation to the policies of the Cold War and Spanish-American War.2 The history of racism and sexism in America provide a blueprint for foreign policymakers, where racist militancy and sexist excuses override basic human rights.

Genocide has long had gendered effects, but those effects have long gone relatively understudied as with many other issues relating to feminism in academic scholarship. By gendering our understanding of power and violence, genocide must be rethought and even perhaps redefined, as the reality of genocide often finds itself in conflict with the genocidal realities women have faced throughout time. Through gendering our understanding of genocide in this analysis, the feminist viewpoint provides important acknowledgements for the effects of these human rights abuses on both men and women. Moreover, we will better understand how the

There is a masculinity crisis in America that has been escalating, since society has gravitated to the auspice of anti-marriage and single parenthood. The nuclear family is the root of a successful society. In a traditional nuclear family, family structure plays a vital role in the healthy developmental stages from birth through adolescence; otherwise, the child cannot adjust due to lack of social conventions. There are numerous factors that contribute to the threat of masculinity in our society; namely, families headed by single mothers, the media metrosexualizing males, and absence of God.

“Without doubt, the last century has witnessed an unprecedented expansion of women’s rights, in one of the most profound social revolutions the world has ever seen. One hundred years ago, only two countries allowed women to vote. Today, that right is virtually universal. Millions of men and women around the world today advocate to end violence against women, and a record two-thirds of countries have passed laws against it.” – Michelle Bachelet, UN Women Executive Director

The Hippie era has come to end and the days of self awareness have arrived. Instead of focusing on love to all, many Americans were indulging in their self pleasure. According to Alfred Kinsey’s research Americans sexual behavior deviated from their widely accepted norms (Glbt.com/shsh/sexrevo cites correctly). Wilhelm Reich added to Kinsey’s research with a remark that he believed sexual repression overwhelmingly distorted psychological development (glbt.com/shsh). To further societies receptivity of sexuality the case Roth v. United States in 1956 created a public arena in which it became possible to discuss sex and represent it both literary and visually (glbt.com). Furthermore the counterculture of the 60’s had a new candidness of sexuality,

Men are supposed to act strong and emotionless, a historical expectation in American society. Post- World War II fear and alienation haunted American men (Perchuk 1995:35). Pollock’s method to alleviate fear through his paintings is the response to the historical happenings during World War II. The war mentality decreased masculinity as the men were able express “weak” emotions.

While the term “sexism” dates from the mid-1960s and came into frequent use after the rise of women’s liberation movements in 1968-1969. Feminists in Eastern countries have also appealed to the United Nations to enforce women's rights. In the West, discussion has shifted from legal rights

As Ehrmann states in the opening scene, “If you're going to be a man in this world, you better learn how to dominate and control people and circumstances.” This quote summarizes the never-ending goal men must meet in our society. This goal, of maintaining masculinity, has lead to the violence, depression, and confusion among males. In the film, they examine the cause and effect of male gender-policing in our society. Through personal anecdotes and expert testimony, the film sheds light on the painful cost of masculinity in America.

Women and men around the world join together for equal rights and fair treatment. Van Deven explains the importance and roles that males give feminism:

As the sole United States Delegate to the 2014 G(irls)20 Summit in Sydney, Australia, I worked with over twenty four other women to write a communique focused on how to economically empower women and girls internationally. The communique was then presented to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister of Australia and other leaders. For the past eight years, I have also participated as well as staffed numerous Model United Nations Conferences

Gender is an often a contentious term, feminist scholars have introduced this vital term to the language of international relations. Since its inception, gender is most prominent in distinguishing the differences between male and female, however it has articulated different interpretations by both parties in different realms of thought. The duration of this paper will help to explore the different definitions of gender and its associations with the practices of war. This paper will look into how power is used as a gendering tool to exert ones dominance over the other, with a close look at how rape is used as a tactical tool for warfare. As society portrays women as vulnerable, helpless victims, this paper seeks to look into how power can influence women as the perpetrator but also an option for resolution in conflict.

Conflict perspective believes that war is not a natural it is a product of oppression and domination. Modern Conflicts emphasizes on the fact that how war is used to promote economic and political interests. A decision to go to war could be motivated not by ideals to preserve or promote freedom, but to ensure the economic well-being of the defense contractor (LG, pg-464). Conflict perspective assumes that US Military has a huge impact on Americans and it reaches it out to the whole world. Feminist Perspective contemplates the fact that war is a male-dominated enterprise which strengthens their roles in the society. “War is a patriarchal tool always used by men to create new structures of dominance and to subjugate a large mass of people.” (The Events, LG, pg-464). It demonstrates how decision making and economic power are handled by men in our country, so all the international relations have done on women’s bodies. In a Program, Husbands are considered to be risking their lives in wars and women are shown taking care of households with mother and sister and know to be longsuffering, supportive and patriotic. Comparing feminist and conflict perspective both have different opinions and different point of views as conflict considers the war to be a subsidiary to increase economy and feminist demonstrates that is male-dominated. Seeing with a war going between the US and Islamic state, conflict considers to be a way to make more money for the economy, and feminist consider

The belief of “Feminism” affected the social interaction between men and women by creating social issues amongst them and that led to protests and a worldwide movement sanctioned by women to get the equality they deserved. One feminist, Jane Addams, states in her speech on Women and War, “The belief that a women is against war simply because she is a women and not a man, does not, of course, hold. In every country there are many, many women who believe that the War is inevitable and righteous, and that the highest possible service is being performed by their sons who go into the army; just as there are thousands of men believing that in every country; the majority of women and men doubtless believe that”

There are many existing literatures on women and weightlifting. This research will be focusing on how hegemonic masculinity has set ideas of gender roles and how these women challenge the social discourse that they face being a muscular or look ‘manly’.

Masculinity and femininity are unescapeable. We are taught how to be masculine or feminine from birth but for men, the highest form of masculinity achievable is hegemonic masculinity. In this essay, I will define hegemonic masculinity, discuss how it perpetuates homophobia by restricting the way men interact with one another and by the use of the word fag, and how it perpetuates gender inequality through the expectations of violence, no emotions, and being breadwinners.