Masculinity 1

Unfortunately I haven't been able to connect to blogger so I'll have to try to catch up on my blogs on masculinity this week.

I think masculinity is an interesting theme to move to because it is often something that is overlooked in society. In some of the first readings we did this semester, we talked about the "dominant" traits becoming almost invisible in our discourse. Being male and being white is what is considered "normal" and we tend to not address exactly what it means. The problem is, as Valenti notes, that "men are affected by sexism too". Men are constantly battling to assert their masculinity and to show that they are not women. They have done this in different ways throughout history but violence is one thing that has commonly been attributed as "manly". Valenti talks about a recent trend towards "cool" men acting like boys. They have man caves and escape to the woods, they watch football and pick up women while going out with their friends. This new ideal is evident in tv shows and in the media all over, but it is also evident in how men perceive masculinity and strive to act.
The problem with society's inability to acknowledge our conception of masculinity as a powerful and at times damaging force is that this conception of masculinity is forced down our throats at all times. Men do not have a lot of people showing them that our conception of masculinity is just one option and is not in any way the best or the only viable way to be a man. Men need more support when it comes to understanding how to be men. Right now, many boys struggle with their inability to fit into the mold and have their masculinity taken from them (or withheld from them) because they are not "manly" enough. We need to acknowledge that there is no true ideal for "manliness" that transcends time and place, that masculinity is an idea and is always changing. Men are suffering from sexism just like women are and feminists can play an important role in helping to change this problem.