Jun
11
Speaking of Masculinity…
Filed Under Uncategorized | By Morgan J Curtis | 1 Comment
As mentioned in the recent blog about the effects of gender roles, masculinity (or, dare I say masculinities) is a prominent topic of discussion in many violence prevention arenas. There are some interesting resources available online that contribute to the discussion of prominent notions of masculinity and the need to redefine it or evolve beyond it.
For example, the following video by vlogger (video blogger) Jay Smooth generated a lot of discussion in the blogosphere a few weeks ago.
An especially poignant moment of this short video is the last quote:
“When we find ourselves believing that killing a man makes us more of a man, but loving a man makes us less of a man, it’s probably time to reexamine our criteria for manhood.â€
Traditional notions of masculinity are harmful to men and women because of the expectations of violence and invulnerability. Additionally, traditional norms of masculinity don’t allow for men to seek genuine connection with other men or with anyone else. Jay Smooth eloquently sums this up in his video.
Next, there is a new article by Robert Jensen, reflecting on his experiences discussing issues of gender with college students. Dr. Jensen, who in his other writings has proposed that the answer to toxic masculinity is not to redefine it but rather to evolve past it, asks:
“If the positive definitions of masculinity are not really about being a man but simply about being a person, and if the definitions of masculinity within which men routinely operate are negative, why are we holding onto the concept so tightly?â€
The article is an excellent contribution to discussions on masculinity.
Finally, the online anthology, Beyond Masculinity: Essays by Queer Men on Gender & Politics was also made available to the public a few weeks ago. There are some compelling essays in this collection examining what masculinity means to gay, bisexual, transgender and queer men, including how they have been impacted by traditional notions of masculinity.
Often when addressing issues of masculinity, discussions often focus primarily on the standard norms of white, heterosexual masculinity. When people aren’t focusing on this as the baseline of masculinity, usually they are talking about “machismo†or “hip hop culture†again perpetuating the notion that while masculinity is the norm. This marginalizes and invalidates the experiences of all other men.
However, it’s important to understand the way norms of masculinity differentially impact men who are not white and/or not heterosexual. It’s not just that the expectations of masculinity contribute to sexual and intimate partner violence, but that they lead to other forms of violence such as bullying and bigotry. These notions confine and ultimately harm all men, but in different ways.
