Not “straight,” but still a “man”

Abstract

In this chapter, Moussawi examines how compulsory heterosexuality polices gender presentations, enactments, and performances. More specifically, he looks at how nonheterosexual men in Beirut use relational and various definitions of masculinity, embracing forms of hegemonic masculinity to distance themselves from gender nonnormative men. Although hegemonic masculinity is usually studied in relation to heterosexual men, this chapter shows how nonheterosexual men distance themselves from both hegemonic masculinity and femininity, embracing a modified version of hegemonic masculinity. Moussawi argues that the various ways that nonheterosexual men define and enact various masculinities is done to maintain masculine privilege and define themselves and their masculinities in ways that affirm their commitments to the gender binary and gender normativity.