Reddit reviews The Gendered Society

I see a lot of comments were removed by the moderators. I'm not surprised as the term 'masculinity ideology' is not very well understood. The article did say

>“masculinity ideology” as “a particular constellation of standards that have held sway over large segments of the population, including: anti-femininity, achievement, eschewal of the appearance of weakness, and adventure, risk, and violence.” The report also links this ideology to homophobia, bullying and sexual harassment.

This strikes at a lot of men's susceptibilities about being 'strong'; especially in athletic achievement or adventure seeking. Remember, extreme risk taking is not healthy and in general there are known issues along lines of traditional masculinities; some men may find themselves in a personal space where they avoid self care and equating that with being 'tough' when in fact it is a destructive behavior. I see it as a question of balance.

The actual content of the ideology though is missing so here's a pretty good definition-this is in terms of traditional masculinity which is heavily imbued with gender essentialism. This is maybe a list of how not to define your masculinity. The key to understanding definitions or concepts that give models of masculinity derived from the long history of capitalist society is: the primary directive is fear of femininity and fear of gays, lesbians, transgenders or non genders. Also, men pay a very high price when trying to adhere to these ideals as they are generally unobtainable goals in everyday living, 24/7. Failures to adhere to gender role norms (or perceptions that the individual has failed) often lead to major health issues, including depression, substance abuse and inappropriate social violence directed at the self or others. This is more than a parlor game we're discussing.

>Social scientists Deborah David and Robert Brannon (1976) give the following four rules for establishing masculinity:
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>No Sissy Stuff: anything that even remotely hints of femininity is prohibited. A real man must avoid any behavior or characteristic associated with women;
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>Be a Big Wheel: masculinity is measured by success, power, and the admiration of others. One must possess wealth, fame, and status to be considered manly;
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>Be a Sturdy Oak: manliness requires rationality, toughness, and self-reliance. A man must remain calm in any situation, show no emotion, and admit no weakness;
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>Give 'em Hell: men must exude an aura of daring and aggression, and must be willing to take risks, to "go for it" even when reason and fear suggest otherwise.

For those who are new to the idea of having discussions about the issues surrounding gender psychology there are many good introductory texts. Yeah, the cliche-"go read a book" but at this point we're all learning as the psychology and sociology surrounding the topic of men and masculinities is relatively new.

The Gendered Society

Psychology of Gender: Fifth Edition 5th Edition by Vicki S. Helgeson

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