WS102 Lecture Notes - Heterosexuality, Hegemonic Masculinity, Mass Media
27 Mar 2013
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Document Summary
Masculinity only exists because of femininity, need the opposite to understand. Masculinity are defined by what women are not, should not, and do not. Masculinity is constructed through a learning process like femininity. Just as heterosexuality is normal and unremarkable, therefore not studied, it is just like masculinity. Men have dominated public realm, so their experiences are marked as the human experience. Biology as gender : biology dictates who you are, and how you fit in the world. Like any other cultural construction, there is a context: means different things to different people. Mass media plays important role in maintaining, studying, establishing popular ideals of masculinity. Men can support themselves financially, heterosexual, tall, strong, abs. Politicians, actors, athletes try to achieve the ideal. Essentialist definitions : pick a particular aspect that defines masculinity. Don"t incorporate grey areas [if men are competitive, women by definition not allowed to be competitive]
