Masculinity As Homophobia By Michael S. Kimmel

2. In the essay “Gender Treachery: Homophobia, Masculinity, and Threatened Identities” the terms ‘homophobia’ and ‘heterosexism’ are discussed. Hopkins contends that there is no distinct boundary between the two terms, but he outlines ways in which to distinguish the two terms. First,

Before we can address the issue of homophobia. We must distinguish what exactly homophobia is, Homophobia is a term to describe hate towards homosexually oriented people. Homophobia is a form of stigma based on sexual ideas. This is also explained in the book “The Challenges of being a gay rural gay man, coping with stigma”. It states “sexual stigma is defined as social disapproval of any-non-heterosexual behavior”. Stigma that is based on hate towards people that are different, or people we don’t understand.

Many people from the United States hold the belief that being gay is something that has always been considered to be okay. They believe that it is just a given. Despite people’s current beliefs on the subject, for a very long time, it was something that was widely believed to be taboo. In the past, people were imprisoned due to their sexuality. Regardless, throughout the decades, people have pushed for the widespread acceptance of people who are part of the LGBT community. Today, homophobia still exists in some parts of the United States, but we have come a long way since the early 1900s.

Heterosexism, according to Warren J. Blumenfeld, is the system of advantages given to heterosexuals based on the social construct of gender roles and heterosexual norms, while marginalizing and oppressing homosexuals and others who do not fit into the heterosexual culture (373). The enforcement of this system is known as heteronormality. This is seen in the binary system, which is a social construct that divides people into different strictly bordered categories organized by “social roles, values, stereotypes, and behavioral and attitudinal imperatives, expressions, and expectations” (Blumenfeld 373). Those who stick to the binary system, maintain power and privilege. People who may live in the binary system, but also intentionally

In modern times, feminism and the yearning to become more than a traditional “housewife” have been topics of fierce discussion; however, often neglected is the fact that men, too, are expected to fulfill a role in society. In Michel Marc Bouchard’s Lilies, the characters are heavily influenced by the Catholic, Quebecois society of Roberval, which promotes heteronormativity and a certain masculine mold, resulting in tense relationships with oneself and with others. This can be seen as Simon struggles internally with who he is while Bilodeau and Timothee express discontent in the increasing visibility of homosexuality and the breakdown of the masculine “norms.” Although this play takes place in the early 20th century, the advocacy of what a man should be according to Catholicism, which often leads to homophobia, still prevails heavily today, as seen in Katherine Dugan’s “Gendering Prayer: Millennial-generation Catholics and the Embodiment of Feminine Genius and Authentic Masculinity” and in Wayne Martino’s “Policing Masculinities: Investigating the Role of Homophobia and Heteronormativity in the Lives of Adolescent School Boys.” These articles show the extent to which the toxic outlook on masculinity is seen in Lilies while providing insight into how the public is expected to adhere to heteronormativity. These struggles perceived in Lilies can also further be analyzed through the works of Roy Brooks-Delphin, Lowell Gallagher et al., and Wolfgang Palaver.

On June 26, 2015, the US Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is a right protected by the US Constitution in all 50 states. Now that marriage is available to the gay community, there are more and more people coming out to their families and living their lives married with children. With that being said, there are some people are still against the whole idea of same-sex marriage. Which means that even though their marriage is legalized, there will still be hate crimes against same-sex couples.

The year 1970, When two men tried to get married the university denied them because they were the same-sex. It was illegal to have same-sex sex at around 1969 which is unfair to all same-sex couples. All the gay people wanted was to be treated fairly, just as the straights do. And with complete honesty they didn’t want marriage specifically, they just wanted the rights. On June 26, 2015, the U.S supreme court ruled, that gay marriage is a right protected by the U.S constitution in all 50 states. On May 18, 1970, two university men applied for a marriage license, but they were denied because they were the same-sex. On June 26,2003, they banned people for being gay (same-sex) adults, They made it illegal. On July 1989, Court

In the article “Gay ,Latino ,and Macho” by Albert Serna Jr. and the essay “Masculinity as Homophobia” by Michael S. Kimmel, the authors both address how Masculinity and Homophobia are both effect by the gender scripts that are established by institutions. However, Kimmel and Serna bring light upon the issues in different manners. Kimmel states that Masculinity is a mental burden upon men who are unable to truly express themselves without being seen by society as a “sissy, untough, uncool” (Kimmel, 44). Consequently, this leads many heterosexual males to develop an “irrational fear of gay men” (Kimmel,44).Contrary to Kimmel’s essay, Serna address how the Machismo Culture (a strong sense of masculinity) effects Josue Velazquez and Felix Rios (who are both Mexican males who are homosexual).Serna expands on how many homosexual Mexican males have been affected by the Machismo Culture by introducing the reader to the advancement of the underground queer nightclubs and bars and also to the evolution of art that is center around “sub-culture of gay Latino men”(Serna,54) that is done by Hector Silva. Through his art form, Silvia is able to bring a better look upon “the community” (Serna, 54) that the queer “nightclubs cannot” (Serna, 54).

Back in 2015 on june 26 the United States supreme court ruled it unconstitutional to ban same-sex marriage giving gay couples the right to get married nationwide. Despite this there are still states that don’t abide by this rule. In June 2016 a district judge had to issue an order saying that Alabama can’t enforce laws banning same-sex marriage. Also in June 2016 a 29-year-old security guard by the name of Omar Mateen

In Michael Kimmel’s pieces “Masculinity as Homophobia: Fear, Shame, and Silence in the Construction of Gender Identity” and “Who’s Afraid of Men Doing Feminism” he gives us a description of masculinity and explains what this concept of masculinity means for both men and women. He argues that men can, and should be feminist; that they should advocate for gender equality, because gender equality will benefit both men and women. In this paper I will use Kimmel’s analysis of masculinity, which he uses in his arguments for the necessity of profeminist men, along with some assertions made by Jean-Jacques Rousseau about the education of young boys and girls, to show the strengths and weaknesses of Kimmel’s argument. His assertions can seem strong when read alone, however by looking at his argument for profeminist men together with his and Rousseau’s assertions about masculinity one can see a fundamental flaw in his argument. In his analysis of masculinity he not only points out the significant problems with the way men, especially American men, are forced to subscribe to this barbaric concept of manliness, he also expresses concern for this ‘boys club’ atmosphere. However, in his argument for profeminist men, he takes what could be a strong argument and weakens it when he feeds into this desperate need for reassurance by telling men that feminism will benefit them too.

In the past decades, the struggle for gay rights in the Unites States has taken many forms. Previously, homosexuality was viewed as immoral. Many people also viewed it as pathologic because the American Psychiatric Association classified it as a psychiatric disorder. As a result, many people remained in ‘the closet’ because they were afraid of losing their jobs or being discriminated against in the society. According to David Allyn, though most gays could pass in the heterosexual world, they tended to live in fear and lies because they could not look towards their families for support. At the same time, openly gay establishments were often shut down to keep openly gay people under close scrutiny (Allyn 146). But since the 1960s, people

Aaron Devor’s essay “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender” describes how gender and sex are not directly related unlike popular belief and how social norms affect individual’s choice of gender. Devor ‘s main argument that gender is not determined by genitalia but by the individuals own choices. Michael Kimmel’s essay “Masculinity as Homophobia” claims that gender equality is a positive thing for males and that social norms force men to act a certain way. Kimmel main argument is that men are always having to protect their masculinity otherwise they will look weak. Even though both essays argue for gender equality they attack the issue in different ways. Kimmel’s essay is the stronger argument for gender equality

Masculinity is a term that is often associated with strength, power, control, and dominance in men. However, many texts support the claim that masculinity can be perceived as “socially constructed” and available for systematic discrepancy, similar to femininity. For example, in Michael Kimmel’s “Men, Masculinity, and the Rape Culture,” Kimmel identifies the “traditional masculinity” in which men exclusively can experience the “right to manhood” and the “dare and aggression” that is rightfully theirs (Kimmel, 142).

Opposition to gay marriage has increased since the summer and a narrow majority of Americans also oppose allowing gays and lesbians to enter legal agreements that fall short of marriage. Moreover, despite the overall rise in tolerance toward gays since the 1980s, many Americans remain highly critical of homosexuals ­ and religious belief is a major factor in these attitudes.

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.