References

References 

Anderson, E. 2000. “I used to think women were weak": Orthodox masculinity, gender segregation, and sport.” Sociological Forum, 23(2). Retrieved December 3, 2013 (http://www.jstor.org.proxy.ufv.ca:2048/stable/20110264).

Clark-Flory, Tracy. 2012. “The “man crisis,” continued”. Salon. May 30. Retrieved October 15 2013, (http://www.salon.com/2012/05/31/the_man_crisis_continued/)

Connell, R.W. 1996. “Politics of Changing Men” Australian Humanities Review. Retrieved November 2 2013, (http://www.australianhumanitiesreview.org/archive/Issue-Dec-1996/connell.html)

Connell, Raewyn. 2009. Gender: A Short Introduction. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.

Eitzen, D, and Stewart, Kenneth. 2006. Solutions to Social Problems From the Bottom Up: Successful Social Movements. Boston, USA: Pearson

Hall, Jennifer. 2013. “UBC investigates frosh students’ pro-rape chant”. CBC. September 7. Retrieved September 24 2013, (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ubc-investigates-frosh-students-pro-rape-chant-1.1699589)

Hinds, Andy. 2013. “’Messages of Shame Are Organized Around Gender’” The Atlantic April 26. Retrieved November 3, 2013. (http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/04/messages-of-shame-are-organized-around-gender/275322/)

Isbister, Sophie. 2013. “Toxic Masculinity.” The Other Press, August 6. Retrieved September 28 2013, (http://theotherpress.ca/toxic-masculinity)

Katz, Jackson. 2006. “Tough Guise” Challenging Media. Retrieved October 19 2013 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3exzMPT4nGI)

Kimmel, Michael 2008. “Guyland: The perilous world where boys become men.” Pp 175-176 in Sociologists in Action Sociology, Social Change, and Social Justice edited by Korgen, Kathleen, White, Jonathan and White, Shelley London, UK: Sage Publications

McIntosh, Peggy. 2013 “The Male Privilege Check List.” Alas! A Blog. Retrieved November 3 2013 (http://amptoons.com/blog/the-male-privilege-checklist/)

Mustich, Emma. 2013. “’The Mask You Live In’: Jennifer Siebel Newsom Documentary Will Examine Masculinity.” Huffington Post. July 16. Retrieved October 19 2013, (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/16/the-mask-you-live-in-jennifer-siebel-newsom-masculinity_n_3599812.html)

Stein, A. 2005. “Make room for daddy: Anxious masculinity and emergent homophobias in neopatriarchal politics.” Gender and Society, 19(5). Retrieved , 2013 (http://www.jstor.org.proxy.ufv.ca:2048/stable/27640831)

Walsh, Margaret. 2010 “Automobile in American Life and Society: Gender and the Automobile in the United States.” Automobile in American Life and Society. Retrieved October 19 2013 (http://autolife.umd.umich.edu/)

Conclusion

One of the most pertinent tools in creating social change in this instance might belong in the power of critical pedagogy. Education on matters of privilege and oppression is crucial, and is an area of public education that is sorely lacking. By showing students how their actions, behaviours, beliefs, and so on connect to larger cultural ideas, power structures, and dominant ideologies, students can really begin to challenge those beliefs and change them. For young men, this could be a particularly useful tool in showing how certain behaviours connect to dominance and oppression, and from there empathy training can begin to take place. Though critically pedagogy has been traditionally used as a means to shed light on oppressed students, there is room here for reflection and “unlearning” (perhaps even more so) for the privileged classes that do not realize, without reflection, how unquestioned behaviours reproduce power structures and dominance.

But it is not just about corrective behaviour either. The education sphere can also provide a space for young men to speak openly and freely on matters weighing upon the mind. Indeed, even just creating such a space challenges this kind of hyper masculinity – it shows men that it is okay and acceptable to express themselves and that it is not a sign of weakness or vulnerability.

As mentioned in the documentary “Tough Guise”, there is room for greater inclusion in the culture at large. A grassroots style movement could have a big impact on culture at large, and it is in everyone’s best interests to understand these issues and become aware of the kinds of behaviours society is instilling in its men, and the messages of violence and aggression they are repeatedly being told are “acceptable” and “manly”. Women too can have a place in this cultural shift by helping to alleviate the stigma around men expressing themselves emotionally and by being accepting of men in non-traditionally masculine career paths such as counselling, childcare, teaching, or even just the stay at home dads.

To bring focus back onto Kimmels’ studies of masculinities, men may very well be in a bit of a collective identity crisis. The shifting cultural trends, everything from neoliberal policy eroding social safety nets and workers’ rights, a crumbling economy, longer lifespans and the push women have been making with feminism has left men feeling adrift at sea. In some cases, this has caused men to put their back up against the wall and adopt extreme, maladaptive behaviours that often entail misogynistic views, dominant, aggressive, and sometimes violent behaviours, drug and alcohol abuse, and perhaps in some ways the saddest of all, men have become emotionally deadened, afraid that any emotionality will be perceived as vulnerability.

There is hope, however. Strengthening the economy is a good place to start by throwing away the old ideas of failing neoliberal politics and trickle down economic theory. On a broader cultural level, bringing awareness to others that the passage to adulthood is getting longer and is more difficult to navigate than ever, but that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing (as they say, not all who wander are lost). For specifically men, a cultural movement that embraces change could do much good. Understanding that greater equality for women is good for both men and women, not just one side. It means throwing off the pressure of having to be the sole breadwinner and the tremendous pressure that brings, not always having to be confident, assertive, stoic, and in control. This cultural shift could begin in early school years, with empathy training and social issue awareness education. Men should be encouraged to pursue careers that are not considered traditionally masculine, like counselling, childcare, and teaching. As men do their part, so too can society begin to change and assist this shift, by dropping the stigma around men being emotionally expressive, understanding that men can be nurturers such as stay at home fathers. Once these pushes begin, change is not only possible, but inevitable. If history has shown anything, it is the sheer fluidity of changing gender roles across time and space, and armed with this knowledge, society can take the reins and help steer the direction of advancement to a positive and healthy outcome. 

Word Count: 3,513

Portfolio Item #12: Tough Guise Documentary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3exzMPT4nGI

This is a link to a brief youtube clip from a documentary called "Tough Guise: Violence, Media, and the Crisis in Masculinity" It features Jackson Katz, a filmmaker and anti-sexist speaker, who details the politics of manhood and certain negative aspects in male culture, such as dominance, aggressiveness, a lack of empathy, generally anything the opposite of what is perceived to be feminine. It examines male stereotypes, and social pressures that socialize young men into becoming as they say in the documentary, "just one of the guys". The documentary shows just how much the male physical form in media representation has become increasingly larger, taller and just bigger over the last several decades. The documentary ends with Jackson Katz calling for a re-examination in masculine identity, asking society to throw away such status quo apologist statements as "boys will be boys" and demanding that men be taught to be more empathic. It examines issues related to patriarchal societal structures, such as the idea that hegemonic masculinity ascribes dominant traits to masculinity, thus perpetuating the cycle of women’s oppression by labelling femininity as the opposite.

This piece is extremely important and is perhaps the crux of the portfolio. It lays out the issues in contemporary masculinity and how this modern construction of cultural idealized masculinity is playing out in some very toxic ways, but also talks about potential solutions that can only come to light once the issues come to awareness. It argues that violence and aggression in men are seen as cultural norms in our society, and even shows that when male violence is committed against a woman, the headlines tend to gloss over the fact that men are the ones committing such acts, a key component to understanding the magnitude of the problem. 

Portfolio Item #11 "I used to think Women were Weak" Orthodox Masculinity, Gender Segregation and Sport http://www.jstor.org.proxy.ufv.ca:2048/stable/20110264

This is an interesting academic research article that shows a connection between gender segregation in sports and homophobic, sexist, and misogynistic attitudes in males. By segregating men into these structures, men learn these behaviours through group interactions and behaviours that reinforce these traits through the ritual of the sport itself. It also shows that men that are socialized into groups with less gender segregation often show greater acceptance of women.

“Findings suggest that the complex reproduction of orthodox masculinity in men’s team sports, the kind of sports Messner (2002) describes as the institutional center of sports – such as football, basketball, and hockey-are largely influenced by segregating males into homophobic, sexist, antifeminine, and misogynistic gender regime that only promotes those who aptly conform to the orthodox sporting ethos (Anderson, 2005a; Connell, 1987; Ewald and Jiobu, 1985; Hughes and Coakley, 1991; Nixon, 1994; Robidoux, 2001).” (Anderson, 2000)

This is a great example of Bourdieu’s concept of habitus, how the individual agent can come to learn and internalize a number of behaviours based on the cultural context and structures into which they are placed. These social structures and the socialization process are how certain traits, behaviours and beliefs come to be reproduced. The important aspect of this research article shows that just as negative traits can be acquired and reproduced, so too can positive beliefs (such as better inter-gender relations and gender equality). 

Portfolio Item #10 UBC Pro Rape Chant http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ubc-investigates-frosh-students-pro-rape-chant-1.1699589

A Pro Rape chant took place at UBC during frosh week. Allegations include support of rape culture and aggressive, sexually dominant masculinity. In addition, the chant includes "underage" and "no consent". The Dean of business has investigated the event, saying it is a total breach of the standard of conduct. It is a worrying development however, given the amount of sexual activity that is known to occur on university campuses. The underlying idea behind this portfolio item is to illuminate just how "accepted" in a sense these things are in contemporary society.

This event has some troubling implications. It affirms that college and university campuses are becoming places where rape culture proliferates. It also paints a picture that depicts men pursuing such acts non-consensual sexual acts as “normal”. It shows just how deep seated rape culture has become in Western society, perpetuating the belief that men cannot control themselves when around women, which leads to the blame the victim idea that women must protect themselves at all times from men, rather than blaming men for committing such criminal acts.

Pictured: Actual lyrical content from the chant: 

Portfolio Item #9 Automobilic Masculinity http://autolife.umd.umich.edu/

          A link to a journal article about the rise of the automobile and its coinciding with Fordism, Capitalism, 

automation, and its connection the middle class and being a symbol of disposable income. It is an important 

piece because it allows the reader to see how external factors shape and influence things that are believed to 

be individual behavioural patterns, and instead, since they are external, are thus changeable. It points out that 

the automobile came to symbolize several aspects of manhood: independence, income, freedom, mobility, 

and a machine like attitude. The machine automobile and the personality of men became intertwined: cold, 

steely, brave, decisive, strong, all became attributes of masculinity, a machine man for a machine world. This 

piece helps to illustrate some of the origins of contemporary masculinity when understood in a larger social 

and economic cultural context.

Portfolio Item #8 Politics of Changing Men http://www.australianhumanitiesreview.org/archive/Issue-Dec-1996/connell.html

       This interesting article piece talks about the history and construction of masculinity throughout different 

epochs. It suggests that what is currently considered masculine is only a fairly recent cultural construction 

and a product of modernity. It looks at different types of masculinities that can exist simultaneously (for 

example, football and competitive sports, the dominant, physical, and aggressive, alongside intellectual 

masculinity which is competitive still but in an academic nature) Further, it compares social constructions of 

masculinity to those in other countries, especially the third world to examine the differences found there. It 

also speaks about the patriarchal dividend, the benefits and advantages conferred upon men who conform 

to such hegemonic masculinities. It suggests that masculinity is mostly cultural, fluid, and open to change over 

time or through differing social forces and actors. Through this article it is shown that masculinity is a socially 

constructed concept and thus not a static or fixed idea, and thus open to the possibility of hope for change in 

the future. 

Portfolio Item #7 Make Room For Daddy: Anxious Masculinity and Emergent Homophobias in Neopatriarchal Politics http://www.jstor.org.proxy.ufv.ca:2048/stable/27640831

This academic journal conducts analysis on the nature of homophobia in patriarchal structures. It’s main point is that men seem to be on the whole more against homosexual acceptance than their female counterparts. The writer suggests that this could be due to psychological reasons rather than social, that on some level men who are anxious about their own masculinity project their anxiousness and hatred onto the minority group in an effort to assert their own masculinity. While having a psychological basis, this too can reflect social theory and understanding, as Foucault wrote extensively about the “other” and how the process of “othering” is based on power relations, which is what heterosexual males are attempting to accomplish in this situation by keeping hold of their hegemonic masculinity.

Homophobia is sadly still present and a prominent aspect of masculine culture. The homosexual male, who might be seen to possess a number of feminine traits, is in some ways seen as a threat to the concept of traditional masculinity, that it is still possible to express oneself in this way and yet still be a “man”. The homophobia then may come from the heterosexual males need to assert themselves and reaffirm their masculinity so as not to be falsely labelled, and in such case be potentially emasculated. 

Portfolio Item #6 "Messages of Shame Around Gender" http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/04/messages-of-shame-are-organized-around-gender/275322/

        In this fascinating piece from the Atlantic, the different ways in which each gender experiences shame are examined. For women, shame is primarily constructed around body image, lack of maternalism, hyper-sexuality, acting with agency, etc. But for men, the primary source of shame comes from being perceived as vulnerable, or worse - emotionally fragile. This is perhaps one of the biggest facets of this argument being made around toxic masculinity. Men are still a privileged class in many, many ways. But as the article points out, an emotionally vulnerable male is often met with revulsion. For women, being in touch with your emotions is not only okay, but it is expected. For men, with the genders constructed in opposition to each other, this is met with almost disgust. This is such a key component in discussing toxic elements of masculinity, as men are very much thinking, feeling human beings, and those that internalize this kind of masculinity are emotionally deadening themselves. In many cases this is extremely unhealthy and will manifest in other toxic ways, drinking or substance abuse problems (interestingly considered more acceptable in men, perhaps a more masculine way of breaking down), domestic abuse, violence and substance abuse.

Portfolio Item #5 The Mask You Live in Documentary http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/16/the-mask-you-live-in-jennifer-siebel-newsom-masculinity_n_3599812.html

This is a link to another documentary coming out soon on the topic of masculinity studies by Jennifer Siebel (who had recently completed another documentary on women called Miss Representation). It even features Michael Kimmel, a researcher on masculinity studies and who has been mentioned already. In the article, Kimmel suggests that young men are plagued with anxiety, as American society constantly calls on them to prove their masculinity over and over. It again features Jackson Katz, and talks about the perceived crisis in masculinity, with boys allegedly 30% more like to fail or drop out of school than girls.(Mustich, 2013) It also talks about the pressures they face in trying to conform to masculine conceptions, with alcohol consumption rates for young men being startlingly high. This piece is an example of the effects that the current face of extreme masculinity is having upon its practitioners, those who have really internalized these toxic traits associated with this modern hyper-masculinity. The following quote from the article apply sums of the state of affairs in contemporary North American masculinity:

          "We've constructed an idea of masculinity in the United States that doesn't give young boys a way to feel secure in their masculinity, so we make them go prove it all the time," sociologist Dr. Michael Kimmel explains. Psychologist Dr. Michael Thompson adds: "We have to give boys permission to experience a wide range of feelings. Masculinity is not never feeling scared; it's feeling scared, and then to know you can also surmount it." (Mustich, 2013) 

Portfolio Item #4: The Male Privilege Checklist http://amptoons.com/blog/the-male-privilege-checklist/)

At times, possessing privilege can cause individuals to be blinded to the inequities others face. When an individual becomes accustomed to interactions that suit them, ie,  views, manner of speaking, behaviours and your conduct, it can be difficult to see how others aren't experiencing the same level of comfort in their societal interactions. These "blinders of privilege" can be hard to detect by the wearers. The link provided here gives a breakdown list of privileges that white males possess in our contemporary patriarchal society. The explanation for privilege is that "white" and "male" are the default states for western society, and so those that behave in such a way as to conform to those notions are a privileged class. Individuals with the blinders of privilege can often go without noticing how the status quo that works so well for them, so often ends up hurting and disadvantaging others. For example, men do not have to fear losing control over reproductive rights in the same way that women do - women are the childbearing gender and therefore have an extra burden that men do not. This is just one such obvious example of privilege, and there are many more, often far more subtle than mentioned. Though not all men may benefit from all the items on the list, men certainly benefit from at least a few items on the list at any given time. If the goal for society is truly that of a more egalitarian tilt, then the first step in achieving that goal is realizing those privileges and working to eliminate them where they exist. 

Portfolio Item #3: The Patriarchal Dividend from Gender: A Short Introduction

         For the context of this Portfolio, it is important to define the patriarchal dividend - a concept that 

identifies the ways in which men adhering to notions of hegemonic masculinity are rewarded or privileged 

within society. In this excerpt from Raewyn Connell's influential book "Gender", the term patriarchal 

dividend is coined and defined. The patriarchal dividend refers to the advantages, benefits, and other such 

positives given to men who conform to hegemonic masculinity and thus uphold an unequal gender order. 

 These advantages can come in the form of increased wealth, security, independence, autonomy, and 

emotional supports, among other things. It is an important piece to examine as it sheds a critical light on the 

kinds of advantages men have access to, but only if they adhere to traits and behaviours within the paradigm 

of hegemonic masculinity. Some men, for instance, CEOs with lots of income reap more benefits from the 

patriarchal dividend than men who are working class, because they fit the idea of capitalism's cultural 

definition of "success", which society also conflates and attributes with being male (dominant, intellectual, 

high achiever, competitive, risk-taking etc). It also points out that not all men have access to this dividend 

(as mentioned) - for instance homosexual men do not gain nearly as much particularly because their 

behaviour falls outside of stereotypical masculine norms. It also talks about how women can benefit from the 

patriarchal dividend - by entering into marriages with wealthy, high income earning men, benefitting at the 

expense of other exploited womens' labour. (Connell, 2009) 

Portfolio Item #2: The Crisis in Masculinity http://www.salon.com/2012/05/31/the_man_crisis_continued/

This is an article series on Salon.com that talks about the perceived crisis facing men in the modern day and age. Salon.com is a fairly progressive media source and argues that the problem shouldn't be individualized but is rather larger, structural and cultural issues play a part in this crisis and need to be closely examined. The piece speaks about the crisis in masculinity in this regard being largely overstated. It ties in with the ideas presented by sociologist Michael Kimmel and the writings on “Guyland”. It argues that men are struggling in the present cultural context with masculine identity and that none of these are the fault of men or women. Women certainly have made inroads thanks to feminism into traditionally male-dominated spaces, which has left some men feeling challenged or emasculated. Men are taking longer to settle down, which Kimmel argues is a result of the longer lifespan the current generation will enjoy. Kimmel also argues the increasing instability of the labour market due to neoliberal economic policy has made young men fearful of committing to a single employer, and as men under patriarchy are supposed to be “breadwinners”, this has challenged traditional notions of masculinity. (Kimmel, 2008) 

Portfolio Item #1: Toxic Masculinity http://theotherpress.ca/toxic-masculinity

         This article was featured in Douglas Colleges' newspaper, the Other Press. It is an interesting piece about a documentary being produced Jennifer Siebel Newsom on the dangers and pressures young males face in society today, and how these manifest themselves negatively both inward and outward. The documentary focuses on anxiety, fear, and pressures to conform present in young men, arguing that males under the age of 17 actually drink more than any other demographic. Indeed, there are huge pressures for boys to be leaders, be confident, and mask their emotional selves. Men are still seen as "dominant", the providers, and stalwart in the face of challenges. But in the last few years with the economic crisis, jobs have been very hard to come by for young adult males, which has prevented them from establishing the concrete economic basis needed to start their lives. (Everyone has been affected by this of course, but the argument is that men feel disproportionate amounts of pressure to be economically successful under this patriarchal society.) The recession, it is argued, has targeted a number of fields in which young men tend to gravitate towards - for example, construction jobs have almost evaporated since 2008, and manufacturing has been on a steady decline for the last 40 years or so due to outsourcing and globalization. With new, increasingly difficult barriers to breach to participate in society, young men are feeling the crunch more than ever - still needing to show stoic leadership, confidence and so forth, but without realising that the game has changed fundamentally. Where this leaves young men in contemporary society is a question that must be asked. With women doing very well academically and being expected to earn their own living, men and society are asking what exactly the role is for men in the current cultural context, and how that identity should begin to be shaped anew (with some of these processes already taking place).

The thrust of the issue is summed up as follows:

            “What words do you associate with masculinity? Tough, strong, stoic, a leader who never cries and “mans up.” “Be cool, and be kind of a dick.” Men and boys who “don’t see the point” of these stereotypes are mocked and ridiculed: they are called by feminine terms, like pussy. The binary of male/female, and the idea that men are tough and women are weak, are harmful to everyone: to boys and girl, and to men and women.” (Isbister, Sophie. 2013)