Issues Of Masculinity Research Articles

Queering Masculinities in the Middle East (SWANA) and South Asia

One of the most important shifts in gender scholarship is the attention now being paid to discourses and practices of masculinity in the Global South. This issue of Men and Masculinities contributes to this growing field in three important ways. First, we foreground scholarship on masculinities in two interconnected, but understudied regions of the world, specifically the Middle East, which is also known as South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA), and its neighbor to the east, South Asia. In particular, we demonstrate the ways in which queer identities and communities are being formed across these two regions, connected as they are by historic trade routes, migration pathways, and transregional cultural flows. Second, we point to the vibrant masculinities scholarship that is emerging from these regions. But we focus specifically on non-normative masculinities—or the queer, trans, and other genderqueer masculinities—which have been historically present in these two regions, but which have been much less represented in masculinities literature. Third, we look to identity formation, or the ways in which young cis-gender, trans, and queer men come out in their communities and seek authentic lives of desire, pleasure, and participation. At the same time, we highlight the ever-present precarity within queer communities in the Middle East/SWANA and South Asia, especially given postcolonial nationalist and ethno-nationalist agendas, which promote normative heteropatriarchal masculinities and concomitant homophobia and transphobia.

“We Play Football Till They Are Gone”: Navigating Masculinity-Related Challenges To Viral Load (Vl) Testing Appointments By Adolescent Boys On Anti-RetroViral Therapy (Art) In Public Health Facilities In Siaya County, Western Kenya.

Between 33.1 million and 45.7 million people were living with HIV in 2022, out of whom 1.7 million were adolescents aged 10–19 years. In addition, recent statistics show a decline of HIV-related deaths by 51%, except for adolescent boys’ HIV –related deaths. Viral Load testing is recommended to monitor ART failure and reduce HIV-related mortalities. Whereas men are socialised to be strong, resilient, and disease-free, whether this has also formed a challenge to VL testing appointments to adolescent boys in public health facilities has remained underexplored. This insight in critical in highlighting social factors causing differentials in HIV-related deaths in contexts such as Siaya County of Western Kenya where mortalities among boys on ART are higher than their female counterparts. This paper investigated masculinity-related challenges to Viral Load (VL) testing appointments by adolescent boys on Anti-Retro-Viral Therapy (ART) in Public health facilities in Siaya County, Western Kenya. This was a cross-sectional study used questionnaire to collect data from 263 adolescent boys on ART. Two focus group discussions were held with the boys, while three key informant interviews were conducted with healthcare practitioners and government officers. Masculinity issues are found to be a challenging factor in public health facilities in the area, hampering VL testing uptake. The study also reveals that adolescent boys honouring VL testing appointments would rather play football within the facility’s compound or engage in menial jobs to earn income than join long queues of patients comprised of women and children where they would be seen as weak help-seekers. It is concluded that enactment of masculinity by the boys is a barrier to VL testing in the health facilities, and tailored interventions should be directed at public health facilities

Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Africa

The complex opportunities and challenges of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda articulated in the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 of 2000, and other successive resolutions, subject themselves to the proverbial interpretation of either a cup half-empty or a cup half-full. The WPS is a progressive agenda for gender programmes in Africa. The downside is that the WPS agenda appears not known beyond policy and activist circles in the continent. This study sought to interrogate the progress made by the WPS agenda in Africa since the UNSCR 1325 was adopted using secondary research and content analysis (CA) of current literature. It was revealed that despite some challenges faced the gender perspective is not deficient in peacekeeping operations (PKOs) except in peace agreements, but that gender 1325 commitments are mirrored in the mandates of PKOs. The African Union-United Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), showed the least WPS agenda consideration but the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) significantly reflected this. For the rest of Africa, it remains unclear if the agenda is stagnating or going forward. There is a host of structural challenges rooted in masculinity issues and patriarchal mind-sets among others.

“Korean Women All Make Bad Wives”: Misogyny and Nationalism in Online Discourses Promoting Interracial Relationships Between Korean Men and White Women

South Korea, which has, for a long time, prided itself as a mono-racial nation, is experiencing a significant shift in its demographic from racial homogeneity to multi-raciality. Such change is fueled by the rise in interracial relationships between Korean men and non-Korean women. In this article, I address the question: How are Korean masculinity and national identity reconceptualized through interracial relationships? I build on feminist theories on race and eroticism to critically examine the YouTube videos uploaded by couples comprised of Korean men and white women. These videos garner hundreds of thousands of views and become spaces of lively debate about issues of masculinity, nationalism, and femininity. I argue that the viewer responses to the videos mobilize misogynistic binaries that pit supposedly problematic Korean women against the supposedly ideal white women. I demonstrate how misogyny in Korea is being rearticulated to conform to the nation’s demographic shift.

The sexual abuse of boys and men. The erasing matrix: The social unconscious, betrayal and turning a blind eye

The aim of this article is to contextualize, and add, some theoretical and practical scaffolding to our work with men and boys who have suffered from various forms of sexual abuse. This article introduces the concept of the ‘erasing matrix’ in terms of an anti-group relational system and shows how the perverse group dynamics at its core facilitate sexual trauma in terms of selection, grooming and sexual destruction of victims. I describe via case vignettes the presentation of such men and boys who have been affected by sexual trauma. I consider the complex issue of the specific trauma of the sexual abuse of men and boys including those from marginalized communities, many of whom have been very cruelly traumatized and betrayed by institutions in the context of family breakdown, structural oppression and community rejection. I argue that sexual abuse and specifically the abuse of men and boys occurs within powerful social systemic contexts and phenomena that include toxic masculinity and homophobia. I will demonstrate how a group analytic and psychodynamic lens can help clinicians to develop an understanding of the concepts of betrayal, erasure and turning a blind eye as central components of the erasing matrix. This will, I hope, be useful for clinicians engaging with men and boys who have experienced sexual abuse trauma. I will also consider the issue of invisibility, denial and toxic masculinity as significant variables that drive the perverse core of the erasing matrix in the sexual abuse of men and boys. I consider the essential role of the clinician as we carefully enter the deadly orbit of this erasing matrix. The task is to establish a clinical framework and the necessary environmental essentials for our practice within this very complex and painful area of our work.

Unicorns, rainbows, and unicorn magic: Storying new knowledge of black masculinities within the WWE

This paper examines the story arc of a trio of Black male wrestlers called the New Day within the World Wrestling Entertainment industry (WWE) who go from militant nationalists, stereotypical singing/dancing preachers, and finally to self-described unicorns bringing magic back to the WWE. Wrestling is used to explore anti-Blackness, Black masculinity, and conceptions of the human/humanity. Drawing on Katherine McKittrick's Black methodological intervention of textual accumulation to interrogate issues of race, masculinity, and sexuality within their performances, I argue the group's unique position as wrestlers allows us to conceptualize the trio as “writers” of fiction; a position that when read through Kevin Young's concept of storying provides insight into a Black creative practice engaging in alternative worldmaking and rewriting understandings of the human outside of a Western European framework. I advocate that the stories of the New Day not only provide glimpses into new genres of being human, but also forms of Black manhood(s) outside of a patriarchal framework.

Victims of Modernity. The Image of Capitalist Modernisation in Jaroslav Rudiš’s Fiction

In this article, the author analyses the novel The National Valley (2016) by the contemporary Czech writer Jaroslav Rudiš. The main argument of the analysis focuses on the concept of modernity and modern subjectivity as outlined by the American philosopher, Marshall Berman, who in his book All That Is Solid Melts into Air (1988) describes modernity as a process of constant changes in reality. The author of the article interprets the Czech capitalist system after 1989 as a process of modernisation that forces certain elements of reality to disappear. Using the tools of semiotics provided by Yuri Lotman (1984), he analyses the structure of space in the novel, whilst also focusing on the issues of masculinity, family relations and subjectivity in capitalist modernity. The protagonist of the novel, shaping his identity in opposition to the current model of modernity, has only limited possibilities of achieving subjectivity. The values he considers important do not fit into the realities of modernity, which means that the protagonist, as well as the milieu he inhabits, is doomed to marginalisation.

Football and Racism in Roy Williams’ Sing Yer Heart out for the Lads

Roy Williams is one of the outstanding contemporary black British playwrights. His plays deal with issues of race, racism, nationalism, masculinity, working-class identities, sport, and intergenerational relationships. Through his plays, Williams tries to provoke his audience to a very essential issue which is that black people are part of the English society. He is against racism. He finds that sport is not far from racism therefore, he decides to write his Sports Plays. In these plays Williams depicts how the black players are treated by the white as if they are not English.

Flora Nwapa's Efuru and toxic masculinity in Igbo Nigerian society

This work focuses on the concept of toxic masculinity in Igbo society, in relation to the two major male characters in Flora Nwapa's 1966 novel, Efuru, set in Igbo Nigerian society. The methodology applied in the study is the qualitative content analysis, using the theoretical tool of toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity is viewed here in much the same way as it was viewed in the earlier years of its coinage (1980s). It describes the behaviour of “troubled” or “troubling” men who are labeled as “toxic” and needing therapy because of violence, or lack of engagement in family life, and employment (Harrington, 2020). This analysis reveals how the underachieving, non-committal and harmful behaviours of Adizua and Gilbert, the two leading male characters in Efuru, are indicative of toxic masculinity. Nwapa's Efuru therefore seems, at the time of its writing, a foreshadowing of the issue of toxic masculinity which has now become topical in the present day society of Nigeria. This paper reveals the urgent need for all stakeholders to devise sustainable means of breaking the incidence of toxic masculinity in real society. Literature reveals the paucity of works in the discussion of Nwapa's Efuru and indeed other African literary works from the angle of toxic masculinity. These factors collectively underscore the significance of this study.

TOXIC MASCULINITY AND LOCAL WISDOM OF THE BUGIS CULTURE IN EAST LUWU REGENCY

<div>The purpose of this research is to examine how the values of Sipakatau, Sipakainge, and Sipakalebbi are applied in the Bugis culture, how toxic masculinity emerged in the East Luwu Regency, and how these values help people overcome toxic masculinity. This study employed a qualitative descriptive approach, utilizing data collection methods such as observation, interviews, and documentation. The data analysis was conducted through data reduction, presentation, and conclusion. The study findings indicate that the Bugis culture</div><div>in East Luwu Regency continues to strongly uphold the values of Sipakatau, Sipakainge, and Sipakalebbi in their daily lives. The Bugis culture in East Luwu Regency has largely rejected the patriarchal culture that fosters toxic masculinity, although there are still some villages that uphold this cultural norm. Furthermore, the values of Sipakatau, Sipakainge, and Sipakalebbi play a crucial role in addressing social conflicts, particularly the issue of toxic masculinity in East Luwu Regency. This study suggests that it offers insights into the significance of safeguarding the cultural values of Sipakatau, Sipakainge, and Sipakalebbi</div><div>to address social conflicts.</div>

The Representation of Toxic Masculinity in the "Do Revenge" Movie

Toxic masculinity is a social condition created by society in which men can't express their feelings, and they shouldn't cry and be weak otherwise, they will be violating the norm, that's because they can't express their feelings; they use violence, emphasizes power, discrimination against gender in general. Netflix's movie entitled Do Revenge present an american teenager with some problems in their life, and it presents the character that represents the behavior of toxic masculinity named Max Broussard. This study used the theory of toxic masculinity by Kupers (2001) to identify how Max's character represents toxic masculinity in the movie. The qualitative method with a case study approach was the primary methodology of this research. The researcher gathered the data by watching the movie, reviewing earlier studies, and concentrating on the language and the scene that addressed either direct or indirect toxic masculinity issues. Previous research has not specifically classified various forms of toxic masculinity, such as misogyny, greed, homophobia, and violent domination, within the context of character behavior in the movie. Therefore, the novelty of this research lies in the more detailed classification of the forms of toxic masculinity that emerge in the character of Max in the movie "Do Revenge". The results of the study showed that the character represents toxic masculinity in the movie with 13 scenes and 15 dialogue data in the form of misogyny with the criteria hatred towards women, aggressive, likes to organize women, greed with the motive of sex, and violent domination with the category control, intimidation, and bullying.

Sissies and lost pardners: Issues of masculinity and male queerness in the early Western

During the silent and early sound era, the Western became one of the most popular genres, making stars of actors like William S. Hart and Tom Mix. The genre ranged from epic Westerns such as The Covered Wagon (1923) and The Iron Horse (1924) through to quickly made B-movies, and even on to short parodies. The Western emerged from the silent era with a maturity not present in other genres, and its appeal only grew during the pre-code talkie era. At the same time, American film was exploring male sexuality and gender norms in a way that it would not be able to do again for several decades. This article traces the relationship between images of male queerness and intimacy within the Western during the first four decades of American filmmaking, from the early short films of 1894 through to the introduction of the Production Code in 1934.

Masculinity and Nation in Lorenzo de Zavala’s Viaje a los Estados Unidos del Norte de América (Journey to the United States of North America) (1834)

ABSTRACT This article explores how Mexican politician, Lorenzo de Zavala, engaged with issues of masculinity and nation in his 1834 travelogue, Viaje a los Estados Unidos del Norte de América (Journey to the United States of North America). The first published Mexican travelogue of the United States, this understudied text illuminates the post-independence period in which Latin American intellectuals imagined a hemispheric republican future originating in the Americas. This travelogue engaged with debates about nation-building and the role of male citizens. By conceptualising androcentrism as a symbolic marker, Zavala’s interpretation of the U.S. man informed his notion of an idealised citizenry. This notion was racialized and excluded subaltern populations. Additionally, this text can be interpreted as a precursor to twentieth-century valorisations of multi-ethnic identity discourses. Zavala imagined the emergence of a borderlands population that combined the characteristics of both countries’ citizenries. This travelogue provides greater meaning by contributing to the ongoing, ambivalent textual relationship between Mexico and the United States.

Beyond the Binary

Abstract After his appointment in 2015 as creative director at Gucci, Alessandro Michele broke with the brand's look of sleek sophistication and introduced an eccentric, maximalist, and ultimately queer approach to fashion. Taking the campaign as a case study, the article aims to investigate the shifting norms of masculinities in Michele's designs. Following a visual cultural analysis as proposed by Martin Lister and Liz Wells, this article aims to consider Gucci's Spring/Summer 2016 campaign in a cultural and societal context. Focusing on the transgressive potential of gender-fluid fashion, the article draws on a theoretical framework deriving from queer theory and gender studies. The article interrogates how masculinities are constituted and renegotiated in contemporary Western culture and highlights the relevance of fashion in constituting and tackling issues of masculinity in contemporary times of change.

Engaging men in gender transformative work in institutions of higher learning: A case of the men's hub at Makerere University.

It was noted that globally, sexual harassment (SH), abuse, and exploitation in higher education institutions (HEIs) remain a problem. In Uganda, it regularly made headlines in the media. Yet, it was only after high-profile cases were reported in the media that a spotlight was put on the problem. Moreover, despite there being policies on sexual harassment, changes in reporting processes, and a roster for the swift investigation of sexual harassment cases, sexual harassment persisted in the respective units of Makerere University. The study reported here was based on a project code-named "Whole University Approach: Kicking Sexual Harassment out of Higher Education Institutions in Uganda" (hereafter referred to as the KISH Project). It was action research intended to move beyond feminizing SH interventions and draw in all the key stakeholders with respectively tailored interventions that were need-based. The project applied multiple interventions targeting different stakeholders (including students, academic and support staff, and administrators) to address gaps, prevention, and support for the survivors of SH in HEIs. One of the project components is a "men's hub," which is aimed at providing space for both male staff and male students to hold dialogs on positive masculinity and call them to act as agents of change in a bid to address sexual harassment within higher education institutions (HEIs). As a platform that brings men together to discuss the issues of sexual harassment, the sessions at the men's hub enhanced their confidence and ability to prevent and respond to sexual harassment as well as their knowledge about the issues of masculinity and how they relate to sexual harassment. It was found to be an empowering platform with opportunities for awareness creation and the potential for amplifying the role of men in influencing change by speaking up and acting on their masculinity to address sexual harassment.

Fop, bounder and post-feminist father: Hugh Grant and the changing face of modern masculinity

ABSTRACT Extant research on Hugh Grant’s star image routinely combines issues of masculinity, sexuality and national identity. Such work concludes that the stumbling, stammering English gent that he mastered for the character of Charles Thacker in Four Weddings and a Funeral or the dishonourable bounder and morally reprehensible cad that he played so brilliantly in Bridget Jones’s Diary is a perfect fit with the man himself. Either way, this article will consider the ways in which film critics and commentators have read and responded to Grant’s on-screen performances and off-screen persona in order to open up a dialogue about shifting iterations of masculinity. Grant is routinely at the forefront of changing definitions of modern manhood, morphing from New Man to New Lad before being constructed and circulated as a figurehead of post-feminist fatherhood. In short, Grant stands as a testament to the very fluid, flexible and shifting nature of the hegemonic hierarchy.

Black women’s quest for identity: A critical Study of Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun

Tracing the history of black feminism, it becomes evident that the social construction of racism, sexism and classism was the driving force behind the widespread violence and discrimination against black women. They are found searching and struggling to attain their identity in this patriarchal world. Black feminist thought leads to certain ideas that clarify a standpoint of and for black women. Black feminist perspectives focus on the social domination on the basis of gender, race and class oppression. These oppressions are densely interwoven into social structures and work collectively to define the history of the lives of Black women in America and other coloured women worldwide. It takes us back to the era of United States slavery during which period, a societal hierarchy was established, according to which White men were supposed to be at the top, White women next, followed by Black men and finally, at the bottom were placed Black women. Black feminists were critical of the view that suggests that black women must identify as either black or women. The present paper looks at Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun from a black feminist viewpoint. It discusses position of a woman in male dominated society and her struggle for identity. It unfolds the saga of suffering and silencing of a black woman, which pervades the black women writings. It is depicted that black women have to face the unique challenging task of fighting for black liberation and gender equality simultaneously. The play effectively unthreads the history of African American women’s lives and their quest for identity in African American society. Issues of masculinity and femininity are deeply woven in this play. Women in this play present a microcosm of society; they are treated as second class citizens in society. Hansberry has depicted through her play the superiority that men pose over women. The glimpse of patriarchal dominance is visible throughout the play through different male characters. It further focuses on the value of the individual women’s identity and women’s right and freedom to construct their own separate identities rather than having them imposed against their wishes. It delineates how African American Women try to speak out against oppression and create a sense of individual identity in the face of silence and absence.

REPRESENTATION OF REAL MEN ON TIKTOK : EMIL MARIO CONTENT CONTROVERSY

Popular culture becomes an arena for identity negotiations, including femininity and masculinity in social spaces. Many people in society have their own views on the issue of femininity and masculinity, so there are various opinions that arise from it. One of them is about the representation of real men who have various opinions from various parties, as discussed by one of Emil Mario's content on tik tok. This study aims to describe real men according to Emil Mario and responses from other parties with different perspectives, such as from the point of view of religion, psychology and ordinary people on this issue. The method used in this research is qualitative using the theory of John W. Creswell. The data was collected by using the observation technique on Emil's video and responses from several other parties, then recording their opinions. The results of this study indicate that there are different points of view because there are many cultural aspects that appear, especially on Tik Tok content.

Programmes for boys and men: possibilities for gender transformation

ABSTRACT The contemporary #MeToo moment has led to renewed concern about issues of masculinity and gender justice. This moment provides a strong warrant for critically analyzing different programmes for boys and men in relation to their capacity for gender transformation. This paper presents three such programmes located in Victoria (Australia) as case studies (1) an Activist Programme, (2) a Sports Programme, and (3) a Rites Programme. The paper highlights some of the possibilities and contentions for each programme in relation to their capacities for gender transformation through comparative analysis. The paper draws attention to the complexity and diversity of ‘promising approaches’ for effectively engaging boys and men in respectful masculinities.

Masculinity as a ‘hard small cage’? Reflections from Chimamanda Adichie’s We should all be feminists

With data from YouTube, this paper examines some masculinity issues raised by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in her TEDx talk ‘We should all be feminists’ and some selected interviews. She problematizes the masculine ideal of suppressing emotions and acting tough and uses them to gauge how masculinity can be described as a ‘cage’. To exemplify how this ‘cage’ might look like in reality, I draw on evidence from the literature on masculinity and men’s health as well as data from an unpublished document on discourses of fear and anxiety among male COVID-19 survivors in Ghana. Using the concept of hegemonic masculinity, I argue that the plethora of evidence in the literature suggest that (hegemonic) masculine norms indeed constrain men in ways that may have dire consequences, not only for their ego, but also for their health; hence, Chimamanda’s call to change the existing discourse is in order. Focusing on the ‘cage’ metaphor (including its qualifiers), however, I question Chimamanda’s description of masculinity since it suggests as though there is no room for contestation – something which weakens her own call for changing the narrative. The paper therefore proposes going beyond the kind of cage Chimamanda equates masculinity with, to make way for the needed interventions.