Contemporary Societys Crisis of Masculinity Essay -- Papers Men Mascu

Contemporary Societys Crisis of MasculinityWorks Cited Not Included Masculinity is the word used to describe the colossal stereotyped traits traditionally ascribed to all males in British society and the notion of how men should appear and behave. It is more accurate to refer to masculinities, to reflect the complexity and revolution of masculinity today. at that place are important differences made between hegemonic and subordinate masculinities hegemonic masculinity is the dominant western image - white, heterosexual person and middle class, subordinate the diverse masculinities - homophile(prenominal) men, black men and the clearing class. David Beckham is a modern icon who has expressed and challenged some of the dominant assumptions of masculinity and identity. He is a talented and committed footballer yet his experiments with fashion and his posing for shoots are taken by some as an affront to the conventionalities of traditional masculine beha viour. Rutherford stated that the reality of mens heterosexual identities is that their endurance is contingent upon an array of structures and institutions. He believes that if these structures are threatened or weakened then masculine identities can be threatened or weakened. Rutherford thinks that v changes have undermined the male dominance of certain structures and institutions. These changes are 1) working-class masculinities threatened by the decline of heavy manual industry. Male unemployment has risen while effeminate employment has increased. 2) Violent and sexual abuse of women and children has become more widely publicised and less tolerated. 3) Mens roles within the family have been questioned.... ... genuine rise in male dissatisfaction for which there are numerous causes. The growing assertiveness of women and the lack of women prepared to be the property of patriarchal men. Male power is being overthrown. There may be a crisis of masc ulinity, but Men ease outnumber women in positions of power across the globe, still glower downwards through the glass ceiling, still strut the cabinet and boardrooms in every developed country in the world, the seeming masters of their fate and everybody elses. In the developing world the situation is take down more unequal. The gender disparity in sharing the burden of unpaid work is stark, and for all the talk of equality women throughout the world continue to work longer hours than men and are paid very much less for it. The colonists are still in command. (Clare, 2000)