The term is a vulgar insult and is usually associated with lack of masculinity. Loss of respect among this group of males is also associated with being “pussywhipped”. What I find troubling about this word is that no vulgar equivalent for a relationship where the man is dominant over the woman exists. According to my group of male friends, “It’s because that’s how it’s supposed to be. You don’t need a special word for it.” The existence of this word and the lack of a female counterpart reflect the perception of women in the culture of male college freshmen.
HOW ARE OUR SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS OF MASCULINITY CHANGING? To understand how the social expectations of masculinity are changing in today’s society, it is necessary to look in-depth at the concept of ‘hegemonic masculinity’ (Connell 2000), its impact on men and how this concept appears to be changing for some men, yet appears to be still embedded within masculinity in some sections of contemporary society today. In sociological terms, masculinity is taken for granted, it is a ‘norm’ and it is not associated with gender or compared to women (Van Krieken, Habibis, Smith, Hutchins, Haralambos and Holborn 2006). The social construction of masculinity was studied in depth by Connell (1995). Connell looked at gender and the human body in three ways, firstly, the biological difference between men and women, secondly sociologically and lastly where there is a ‘compromise’, where the previous two are somewhat combined.
Between the Sexes, a Great Divide Have you ever wondered what makes genders different, other than physical features? In the article “Between the Sexes, a Great Divide”, by Anna Quindlen, the author discusses the differences between men and women. Quindlen asserts the idea that the most difficult divide between men and women is the simple difference–not the prejudice. In our society, gender is defined by its own prejudice and stereotype. Girls are considered fragile and weak, where as boys are considered tough and masculine.
We need to step away from the forces that not only make us ashamed of our mestizo skin, but also of our language and sexuality. Sexuality in Chicanas has been historically neglected, with the majority of focus going towards male’s sexual desire. Anzaldua explains the way that our language “is a male discourse.” (Anzaldua, pp. 76) Our Spanish language has been utilized to enforce male dominance denying females even the smallest ability to expert their female being. We need to create a new identity where we openly explore the pleasures of our sexuality, our pride in our brown skin and the creation of a language that does not only focus on the male
Sex categories suppose sex but are not necessarily determined by it. Doing gender in this sense is acting in a manner which promotes assignment to one of the sex categories, under the supervision of others. Doing gender is a socially required practice, and therefore we cannot "not do gender", our assigned sex category is imposed on us and is perceived as essential, we can comply with is or rebel against it, but in either case we are always, “Dude you’re a Fag” (Pascoe) * This article argues that American adolescent boys become masculine through the continual rejection of a fag' identity. * Pascoe analyzes masculinity as not only a gendered process but also a sexual one * She demonstrates how the "specter of the fag" becomes a disciplinary mechanism for regulating heterosexual as well as homosexual boys and how the "fag discourse" is as much tied to gender as it is to sexuality. * The social construct of “fag,” which exists primarily as an image of failed masculinity, meaning that person is not a
Word count: 1196 Treatments of Male Homosexuality in Roman Antiquity Ancient Roman culture did not embrace homosexuality contrary to the lusty bathhouse scenes that have been conjured up in contemporary society. Certainly there was distinct stigmas attached to the male on male intercourse similar to Christianized views that dominate our contemporary society today. Homosexuality in roman antiquity occurred solely as an expression of dominance and power. The relationship between two men in a sexual manner had to be certainly classified as the social structure of roman society required strict adherence to the laws and traditions set forth by the politicians and men of money and power. Only in a contemporary sense do the terms homosexual and heterosexual exist, as there isn’t a Latin equivalent translation for definition of an individual’s sexuality.
The world seems to be men’s playground, while women stay in shadow, because of this burden of prejudices and not for other reasons, as there is no difference between men and women, but the social-conditioned (and sometimes conditioning) ones. Moreover, in literature, patriarchal authors believe that women do not exist as autonomous beings, but only related to the male characters.
Historically in Western culture, God is seen as a father figure, and has been assigned an authoritative male persona. Rosemary Radford Ruether, author of Sexism and God-Talk, explains how this tradition has led to a male-dominant society in which women are oppressed.1 She discusses possible social origins, gender biases associated with this patriarchal model, and why it should change. Ultimately she recommends using inclusive language, which involves calling God both he and she, and using analogies that show God as both powerful and nurturing.2 Despite what Ruether proposes, God should not be referred to as a he, or a she, or both, because it is the abstract qualities of God that characterize its uniquely divine and non-human nature. Ruether suggests the origin of God as male could have started with the Nomadic religions, where there was no female role in agriculture, and God was the Sky Father.3 The abstractness of God is very difficult to understand for many people, in an attempt to better understand God and religion, the divine has been given human characteristics that it does not actually posses. These often times not only include gender but also race, even attire depicted through artwork.
Masculinity is a subjective term, and in most cases it is influenced by one's perception and culture (Cullins, V.2012). According to Connell (1995), Masculinity can be interpreted as a choice in which one is made in respect of dressing, behavior, and physical appearance. This essay will critically examine masculinities as it relates to men's labor perception and his work environment based on the findings of Simon Cross and Barbara Bagilhole. This paper will explore the statutes of men in non-traditional male occupations e.g. (childcare providers, nurses, hair dressers) and will also examine the impact of these “feminine” occupations in men's manhood and how these men view their masculinity as they are doing what is generally regarded as “women's work”.
next page To what extent do advertisements affect our sex-role perception? There have been many studies about exposure to media and its effects on human beings. In this study, we aim to look specifically at the effect of exposure to magazine advertisements on female college students’ sex-role perception. Sex-roles are “attitudes, behaviors, rights, and responsibilities that a society associates with each sex” (Holt & Ellis, 1998, as cited by Konrad & Harris, 2002, p. 2). Our perception of sex-roles could be either liberal or conservative.