Comparative Anaylsis of Hegemonic Masculinity

This paper compares Peter Tragos “Monster Masculinity: Honey I’ll be in the Garage Reasserting My Manhood” and Richard Majors’ “Cool Pose: Black Masculinity and Sports” in regards to males regaining their masculine identity during the transition of a gender blurred society. In Richard Majors’ article, he discusses how sport has become a major institutional context for the expression of masculinity and the development of the cool pose among black males (1). Peter Tragos article addresses how men are experiencing a backlash against the feminization of masculine culture (2). Both articles demonstrate an underlying need to re-establish dominance and power over women to further stimulate the need for the homogenization of a male dominating society. In contrast, Tragos analyses a man’s need to prove his masculinity and form a sense of dominance through media while Majors does the same, but from a black male’s perspective and through sports.

In order for men to possess power and dominance over women, they are expected to be educated. Tragos talks about how women now have a redefined notion of femininity that adopts both traditional and unconventional roles that they are now taking on. Women are becoming more independent and are expected to be strong while maintaining beauty. To fulfill the role of being strong and independent, they have to compete against men. Major’s emphasises the importance of black males to be educated in order to gain their masculinity. Majors expresses his concern about black males only being able to go to school through sports scholarships. The black males who do have the opportunity to attend college through athletic scholarships, often are forced back on the streets with degrees that will not let them succee...

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...ty created and used by males through putting on a masculine persona and creating a “man only” culture. The objectification of women were also mentioned in both articles because it is an issue that targets all women and categorizing them as less then man. Through objectifying women, it gives the man power over women. Although, black men respond to the backlash differently because they are already a minority. The demonstration of the cool pose in sports and in media such as music, enables black males to accentuate or display themselves to obtain gratification, release pent-up aggression, gain prestige and recognition, exercise power and control, and express pride and dignity and respect for themselves and their race(*). White men use sports as well as TV shows, magazines, and other forms of media to respond to a changing society where gender roles are less defined.