Negative Effects Of Masculinity

In the article “Toxic Masculinity Is Killing Men: The Roots of Male Trauma,” Kali Holloway explains why the ideal of masculinity is so unrealistic and harmful to men. Holloway also gives many studies and writings to back the idea that to be a strong man you have to suppress feelings and pain. In these studies, it proclaims that both men and women start off equally feminine as babies and that these ideas are taught to boys and girls as they grow up learning how to “be a man.” Holloway goes on to say that masculinity is not just taught by parents, but also taught through television and movies that portray men as masculine and strong. There are many examples given showing the ways men release their stress differently than women. This makes it

The United States is made up of an astounding assortment of people of all different types, boasting one of the most diverse populations compared to anywhere around the world. Of these different peoples, toxic masculinity affects each group differently, with an especially profound effect to be found when studying those who identify as Latin- or Hispanic-American. While attempting to homogenize the many unique and beautiful facets of various Latin and Hispanic cultures is a disservice, they tend to share many traits which can be simplified, including their ideas on gender roles. In many Hispanic cultures, there are strong gender roles and ideas about gender that are traditionally built into every aspect of the culture, especially in the form of “machismo”, or the Hispanic ideas of masculinity. In some cultures, “…women are supposedly submissive… men are characterized by verbal and bodily aggression… and sexual dominance,” (Cantú 150). When combined with the gendered expectations and stereotypes that are increasingly prevalent in American culture, young Hispanic-American boys are growing up with an overwhelming volume of standards being impressed upon them from all sides. This same phenomenon can be seen again in African-American communities and cultures, with the already painfully present standards of white American masculinity being taken to another level by a culture which serves to pile on an even stricter set of standards on to its men. As with the Latin American ideas of

Holloway begins her essay by stating the traditional standards for both men and women, stating that “If we are honest with ourselves, we have long known that masculinity kills men” (1). She then defends her argument with a brief description of struggles the men go through with their health and mental health that are indirectly caused by masculinity. Holloway then dives into fields of scientific data to break down how the idea of masculinity is built into a child’s mind and how this process is damaging to the young boy’s mind. Holloway ends her essay by reentering her earlier idea that most of the problems that men face with their health and their mental health is caused indirectly by masculinity. However, this time she includes more detail and more scientific evidence to reinforce her idea. Holloway states “ We have set an unfair and unachievable standard, and in trying to live up to it, many men are slowly killing themselves. We have to move far beyond our outdated ideas of masculinity, and get past our

Masculinity has changed and evolved since the beginning of human creation. Males have had to adhere to the social norms of their time to survive without undue persecution. In the beginning of the 19th century, there was a shift in the way men could attain manhood. It was no longer easy for a man to enter into manhood with straightforward expectations and rituals. The state of manhood became difficult to obtain because of its precarious nature. During the same period, the industrial revolution was in full bloom giving birth to mass information outlets like newspapers, magazines, and advertisement: media. This set a prevailing state where boys and men alike could gain material on how to become or be men

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.

The word patriarchy is rarely openly used to describe modern day American society, yet it is the root of all gender relations. The widely accepted notion that men naturally evolved to become the superior sex is a myth. Aaron Devor’s “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender,” and Michael Kimmel’s “Bros Before Hos: The Guy Code,” both argue that the gender hierarchy America has been built upon is the product of socialization. Devor 's essay, written more like a research paper, focuses on explaining the origins of the gender myth through well-researched scientific evidence and logos. To reflect his writing style, he mainly talks about the physical effects this has had on male and female characteristics. In his

Jenifer Siebel Newsom’s documentary, The Mask You Live In, is about the struggles young men and boys face while they are figuring out their identity in a stereotyped America. The film highlights the negative psychological and sociological implications that stem from society’s expectations of “masculinity.” According to Dr. Caroline Heldman, masculinity is defined in the U.S. as a rejection of everything feminine. American culture has classified masculinity as a strong, hardened, domineering, powerful, and controlling state of being. There are typically three lies that boys learn at a young age that plant the idea that they have to be masculine. Those lies are 1) You must have superb athletic ability and be fast and buff, 2) in order to be a “true” man, you must have

Throughout the history of the world, and specifically in the United States, the pressure that has been forced onto men in society has not only had a significant impact on the people themselves but in society as well. This can be seen through America’s history, the evolution of men and masculinity and even reflected through the development and growth of women and women’s roles in history. The expectation placed on men to conform to what would be considered masculine in that era was an extremely important factor in a young man’s life. This pressure was enforced not only by society but by men themselves who held each other to a specific and high standard. In order to understand the role that men play in society and the ideology of masculinity,

This mentality is ingrained in the minds of young men from a very early age. It is, “men’s and boy’s practical relationships to collective images or models of masculinity, rather than simply reflections of them, that is central to understanding gendered consequences in violence, health, and education” (Connell). For instance, characters like James Bond and Barney Stinson, as well as public figures including Derek Jeter, encapsulate the ideal womanizing characteristics idolized by many men. In fact, even those men who don’t actively exercise, “hegemonic masculinities, are complicit” (Connell), in practice. As a result of these dominating and oppressive ideals, “women become a kind of currency that men use to improve their ranking” (Kimmel). Essentially, as a defense mechanism to feeling powerless, homosocial enactments, sexual conquests, and even domestic abuse allow for men to regain their sense of power. In the process, however they damage the people around

The movie identifies several cultural developments in the last 30 years that are in part responsible for the current levels of date rape, domestic violence and school shootings. After critically understanding and evaluating images of manhood portrayed in the media, it is evident that the media is an active feeder to the widespread of “normalization” of this disturbing persona of ethno-pathological control, domination, and violence associated with masculinity. The assumption that manhood or masculinity represents a fixed, inevitable, and natural state of being is a myth. In fact, it is ironical in its origin: men created the concept of “masculinity” only to end up imprisoning himself in it. In other words, the behavior pattern and codes associated with “masculinity” is not a result of male nature, but

The gender stereotypes, which are constructed by our society, formulate what is required to “be a man”. The desired stereotypical trait of masculinity is a well-established male characteristic, which is vital to fit with assigned gender norms. It is perceived as desirable attribute among society, when in actuality may be causing harm with how it is shaping younger generations. The gender characteristic of masculinity and the attributes required to make a man, have been causing various mental health issues among males. The mental heath issues caused by masculinity are discussed in the movie, The Masks You Live in. Through the ideas of The Mask You Live in, this paper will discuss toxic norms associated with masculinity, how they are

The gender roles for males is a social construct in which sets men in the position to certain behavioral, emotional, and social norms within a society or specific culture in which individuals have to adhere in their social environment. How does that shape ones identity and sense of self? Also, what are the repercussions to ascribing to these roles as a base model for one’s social life? In this abstract I will explore the effects for hyper masculinity in American, the individual effects and also the effects for women in society.

He then proceeds to examine how society characterizes masculinity and femininity. The author also analyzes the relationship between femininity and masculinity and how that relationship is reflected in social hierarchy. Finally, Devor concludes that gender is a phenomenon that one is not born with but it is rather acquired from early childhood and is manifested in adulthood. This essay is a credible academic paper that shows that gender is a social construct rather than an inborn trait. Devor clearly proves that gender is a social construct by showing how young children interpret gender and how it changes as they grow up.

Masculinity, a seemingly simple concept. Yet, when examined more closely, it is clear that masculinity is constantly changing in its definition as well as in its most basic essence. Throughout the years, one can see this evolution firsthand by looking back at the men who have been portrayed in popular media in the United States of America. From the suave Don Draper types of the 1950s to the more casual, educated, and easygoing men- with perfectly chiseled abs, of course- that are portrayed in media today, the difference is clear. This drastic, yet unsurprising, shift in ideals, as well as the exponential increase of media consumed every day, has led to a change in how “masculinity” is perceived, as well as how it is enforced by society in the modern day. Alarmingly, this trend has led to the birth of so-called “toxic masculinity”, a bastardization of the original ideas behind masculinity which has created an enormous, detrimental effect on society as a whole. As defined in the article The Difference Between Toxic Masculinity and Being a Man, toxic masculinity is “manhood as defined by violence, sex, status, and aggression. It’s the cultural ideal of manliness, where strength is everything… where sex and brutality are yardsticks by which men are measured,” (O’Malley) This is a clearly displayed truth, and it’s astounding to see how even from a young age boys are taught not to show emotions other than anger, conditioned to believe that being “like a girl” is the worst possible

To understand the concrete basis of ‘hegemonic masculinity’ more easily, the terms ‘hegemonic’ and ‘masculinity’ will be deconstructed. ‘Hegemonic’ represents what is dominant and most powerful in a societal or political context (Merriman-Webster, n.d.). ‘Masculinity’ is a socially constructed term that represents behaviour that is socially acceptable for men (Connell & Messerschmidt, 2005; Lynch, 2009). Therefore, ‘hegemonic masculinity’ refers to a set of norms and practices that are deemed as the dominant norm for men (Connell & Messerschmidt, 2005; Lynch, 2009). Although the term is tied with men, hegemonic masculinity is not tied to the biological form of men. Alternatively, it is a gendered performance which means that its associated