Redefining Masculinity in Modern Society

Do you remember when women were confined to the kitchen with a baby at the waist and a duster in the other hand? Of course not, this is 2016. Women are no longer held to the 1950’s housewife ideal and are free to explore career paths and break free from previous gender norms. But what about men? Have they had the same opportunities women have had in redefining gender relations? Traditionally, masculinity has been defined by strength and assertiveness. But, masculine gender role ideals can be damaging to men and affect their ability to be an emotionally-healthy individual. This can manifest in two ways, hyper-masculinity and hypo-masculinity, and both have negative impact on the individual. In the recent wave of feminism, goals have been broadened and are focusing on abolishing gender stereotypes and expectations. This applies not only to females, but to males as well. Results are starting to develop,

Take a look at Greek heroes, their statues are exploding with muscle and courage and their stories are just as intense. These ideals have crossed over into the 21st century, but not necessarily in a good way. Hyper-masculinity, as implied in the name, is the characterization of a male displaying typically manly traits but in an exaggerated fashion. Symptoms of hyper-masculinity include cruel and disregarding sexual attitudes towards women, an increase in physical aggression, and seeking out dangerous activities. Hyper-masculinity has many factors that influence troublesome behavior, one being visual media.

On the other hand, hypo-masculinity is present within modern day culture as well. Men seen as emotionally vulnerable are depicted as weak and overly feminine. Verbal jabs can be made in support of this reasoning, such as calling someone “gay” or a “faggot”, “Using language to ‘reduce’ a man to homosexual is an equally, if not more, effective tool of insult and emasculation,”