Male Identity Research Articles

The implications of the Madonna/Whore Constellation: A common fantasy underlying misogyny?

AbstractThe Madonna/Whore Constellation of fantasies often underlies well‐recognized and pervasive misogynistic attitudes in our culture. These common and disturbing ideas about women serve to validate continued societal acceptance of the degradation of those people who are identified as female. The author suggests that there is a dynamic connection between the often‐unconscious Madonna/Whore complex of fantasies and consciously recognized misogyny. The author suggests that this set of fantasies is driven, in part, by overwhelming (i.e., traumatic) annihilation anxiety. It is argued in this paper that men who have felt overstimulated by women both emotionally and sexually as they develop are likely to feel helpless, anxious, and powerless in relation to women as adults. To defend against these feelings, some men wish for omnipotent control and place women into the binary, dichotomous categories of Madonna or Whore. These fantasies serve to solidify masculine identity and a male sense of superiority. The author proposes that the prevailing norms in our culture that reflect male supremacy not only reflect shared patriarchal beliefs but also function to justify these particularly dangerous hateful beliefs ‐ as if they were appropriate and even necessary to maintaining superior male status.

“Yes, I’m Doing It”: Conflict-Induced Internally Displaced Filipino Men’s Enactments of Masculinity

Despite the Philippines’ history of five decades of prolonged violent conflicts and internal displacements, majority of which are in its southern island of Mindanao, studies exploring the enactments of masculinities of noncombatant men are few. Using 31 life stories of Filipino men who experienced conflict-induced internal displacement, complemented by in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and community profiles, the present article demonstrates how these Filipino men constructed an ideal masculinity compounded by imprints of a colonial history, especially the resistance towards integration into colonial Philippines by Muslims in Mindanao. Additionally, their constructions of idealized masculinities are reflective of their negotiation between context and adherence to local hegemonic masculinities in Philippine society that legitimizes unequal gender relations. We argue that Filipino men’s accounts of ideal masculinity and their aspirations to this model reflect ongoing negotiation between immediate circumstances and persistent adherence to local hegemonic masculinities.

Masculinity, poverty and body image among older men in Tanzania: connecting intersectionality and Bourdieu's theory of practice

Abstract Until now, the body image literature has largely ignored older men. In particular, little is known about how older men perceive and experience their ageing bodies, despite the importance of the body to men's practice of masculinity and their position within gendered hierarchies. Addressing this gap in the research, we conducted 15 in-depth interviews and ten focus group discussions (N = 60) with older men aged 60–82 years. Drawing upon the intersectionality approach and Bourdieu's theory of practice, we examined how older men with low socio-economic status give meaning to their ageing bodies in relation to ideals of masculinity. The findings suggest that body strength is vital capital for older men with low socio-economic status, and that changes in their bodies as they age affect their ability to actualise themselves as ‘real’ men and undermine their sense of masculinity. The inability to live up to masculine ideals left most of these men feeling inadequate and ashamed. The findings further reveal that stress caused by ageing bodies, exacerbated by older men's socio-economic conditions, constituted a threat to their survival and overall wellbeing. Interventions should take older men's perceptions of and adaptations to the ageing body into account. In addition, when designing interventions for older men, practitioners should consider the socio-economic and cultural context in which older men are embedded. Particularly important is a gender-transformative intervention that raises awareness of negative masculine norms.

Revealing Masculinity in BTS’s Music: Between Self Identity and Market Desire

Previous studies assessed that the Korean Wave, including the music group Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS), had campaigned for a different side of masculinity. BTS, through their music, seems to carry the concept of a "female-friendly model of masculinity". This feminine masculine identity is attached to BTS members and creates a typical stereotype of Asian men in the United States. This study aims to determine the representation of masculinity displayed by the boy group BTS in their video clips from 2013 to 2021 and observe at least 33 video clips. The researcher observed the symbol representation in the video clip with a Critical Discourse Analysis from Norman Fairclough and then conducted a thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke. The results showed a change in the representation of masculinity throughout their careers. This change in representation is also a form of compromise and negotiation between BTS as artists and the music industry's demands at an international level

“It's how people act out there that counts”: Examining linkages between emerging and protective organisationally desirable managerial masculinities and a reimagining of formal safety policies in the offshore oilfield

The male-dominated occupations comprising North Sea offshore oilfield work have long been stereotyped as attracting rough, ‘hard’ and pro-risk identities. However, stereotyping of male identities in high-risk workspaces are challenged by recent literatures citing complex, hybrid and emerging notions of safety-positive masculinities. Industrial policies are often highlighted as the catalyst for rapidly reshaping men's masculinities towards identities interlinked with performances of safety. Despite claims, few studies conduct structured policy analysis of safety-risk policies and pair this with interviews with policy makers. This study contributes to a body of existing literatures examining how formal oilfield safety policy influences construction of oilmen's institutional masculinities. Structured Document Analysis (DA) of three core safety policies was conducted at a major Scottish oilfield drilling organisation. Semi-structured interviews with seven policy-maker-supervisors were also conducted onshore; exploring contents, construction, and formal-informal goals of policy. DA uncovered two distinct blueprints influencing workplace identity; a dominant blueprint promoting ‘traditional’ oilfield masculinities, and a secondary blueprint promoting emerging oilfield masculinities. Policy makers revealed complex, informal processes of managerial reimagining, reframing, and selective policy interpretations, leading to prioritisation and promotion of motifs from only the secondary policy blueprint in the worksite; upholding emerging protective and pro-safety workplace masculinities. This downplayed, minimised, and overrode the ‘traditional’ -more prevalent- dominant policy motifs. The importance of findings are discussed, as is a pathway for future organisational masculinities, policy and energy-safety research to take advantage of the methodological approach and learnings developed from this scholarship.

Patriarchal Anxieties and Masculine Sexual Privilege in Contemporary Urban Mali

The neoliberal transformation of Mali's burgeoning capital city, Bamako, has undermined men's capacity to provide for their households and dependents even as it has boosted women's economic participation, leading senior males to express mounting anxieties over their declining economic power. As more men find themselves unable to assure economic stability for the women and children under their charge, many double down in their bid to exercise authority over women, particularly their wives. Some men use polygynous marriage as a means of performing certain masculine ideals, acquiring social prestige despite their diminished roles as breadwinners. Others find maintaining multiple female partners outside marriage similarly useful for offsetting their economic disadvantages. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews with men and women in Bamako, this paper examines the extent to which modern masculinity in the city remains predicated on the control of women and their bodies.

‘A Different Ball Game’: Adaptation of a men’s health program for implementation in rural Australia

BackgroundMen residing in rural areas are less likely to participate in weight management interventions than women, and few men-specific programs target rural areas. Aussie-Fans in Training (Aussie-FIT) is an evidence-based weight management intervention that uses professional Australian Football club affiliations and settings as a ‘hook’ to engage urban-residing men. The aim of this study is to report on how findings from rural stakeholder focus groups were used to inform the adaptation of Aussie-FIT for implementation in rural areas.MethodsSeven focus groups with stakeholders (n = 24) in three rural towns explored existing weight management and physical activity provisions, barriers and facilitators to engaging men, and considerations for adapting Aussie-FIT for implementation in rural contexts. Qualitative data were analysed using the framework approach. Adaptations made to the Aussie-FIT program and strategies to implement the program in rural contexts were reported using a structured framework.ResultsThemes generated from our analysis include limited appealing services for men, Australian Football as a ‘common language’, the influence of the ‘smaller fishpond’(population), considerations for program inclusivity, and the importance of local partner organisations for sustainability. We adapted the recruitment and marketing strategies, delivery settings, football program theme and partnerships for rural implementation. Stakeholders advised that an Australian Football program theme without specific local club affiliations would be important to avoid alienating men with differing club allegiances or non-sporting backgrounds. A multi-component recruitment strategy utilising local trusted sources, and program marketing that aligns with masculine ideals were considered important by stakeholders in small communities where ‘people talk’.ConclusionsRural areas were described as ‘a different ball game’ due to limited local services and resources in comparison to metropolitan areas. Study findings have synergies with previous studies undertaken in rural contexts including in relation to the power of word of mouth, the importance of trust, and local partner organisations. Findings have implications for engaging rural men in health interventions in rural contexts where professional sporting contexts are not available. Assessing the extent to which the adapted Aussie-FIT program can reach and engage men in rural Australia, and exploring the barriers and facilitators to delivering the program in rural contexts is required.

HIV-Response Intergenerational Participation Intervention Among Black Men in Ontario, Canada: Protocol for a Pilot Intervention Study.

Black men and their communities are more affected by HIV. Although they constitute less than 5% of the Ontarian population, they accounted for 26% of new HIV diagnoses in 2015, nearly half of which (48.6%) were attributed to heterosexual contact. HIV stigma and discrimination reinforce African, Caribbean, and Black men's HIV vulnerability by creating unsafe environments that deter them from testing and disclosure, resulting in isolation, depression, delayed diagnosis and linkage to treatment and care, and poor health outcomes. In response to these challenges, intergenerational strategies were identified from previous community-based participatory studies as best practices to reduce HIV vulnerabilities and promote resilience among heterosexual Black men and communities. The proposed intervention is premised on this recommendation of intergenerational intervention. The overarching objective is to engage heterosexual Black men and communities in cocreating a community centered, culturally safe intergenerational intervention to reduce HIV vulnerabilities and related health disparities. We will engage 12 diverse community stakeholders in Ontario, inclusive of heterosexual Black men, in 8 weekly sessions to evaluate existing evidence of effective HIV health literacy interventions, identify essential and relevant aspects, and work collaboratively to co-design the HIV-Response Intergenerational Participation (HIP) intervention for use with Black men and communities. Next, we will recruit 24 self-identified heterosexual Black men aged 18-29, 29-49, and ≥50 years. We will pilot and evaluate the HIP intervention with 24 heterosexual Black men from these 3 age groups (split as 2 events: a total of 12 participants in person in Toronto and 12 participants on the web in Windsor, London, and Ottawa). We will use the data obtained along with questionnaires from validated scales and focus groups to evaluate the effectiveness of HIP. The data will include HIV knowledge, perceived stigma toward people living with HIV, acceptance and uptake of HIV testing, preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), and condom use. We will also collect data related to perceptions about system-level factors such as discrimination, socially misconstrued masculine identity, etc. Quantitative analysis will essentially be a univariate descriptive analysis. We will use thematic analysis to highlight the results of the focus group discussions. Finally, we will disseminate the evaluation results and engage researchers, leaders, Black men, and communities to expand the project team and scale up the intervention in Ontario and across Canada. Implementation commences by May 2023, and by September 2023, we should have produced, among others, an evidence-informed HIP intervention that can be adapted for use by heterosexual Black men and communities beyond Ontario. The pilot intervention will strengthen critical health literacy and build resilience against HIV through intergenerational dialogue among heterosexual Black men of all ages. PRR1-10.2196/48829.

Swipe for Your Right to Party: Gender, Social Structure, and Social Media in College Drinking Intensity

ABSTRACT College drinking scholars have built a deep literature around the ways in which gender shapes drinking culture and its outcomes. Few have explicitly explored the way that gender combines with other structural attributes, like social class, and works through social media interaction to predict drinking intensity. We investigate the way gender, identity, and different types of social media involvement can help explain drinking intensity among college students at an institution with a strong party culture. A series of nested regressions show that men’s drinking intensity is more strongly associated with dimensions of male identity related to family social class and father’s political leaning. Furthermore, we find a complex relationship between drinking intensity and different dimensions of social media use. For both college women and men, there is a positive association between the intensity of use of general social media platforms and drinking intensity, but this association is not significant when accounting for their involvement in college party culture. However, after accounting for party culture involvement, our results suggest that use of apps related to hookup culture participation may represent an additional dimension that is associated with drinking intensity, a finding that seems especially prominent for some men. We conclude by discussing implications, limitations, and directions for future research

Construction and validation of a new scale for measuring dimensions of the heterosexual identity: The Male Identity Scale (MIS)

This study provides preliminary psychometric data on a newly designed self-report measure assessing heterosexual male identity dimensions; it is labelled Male Identity Scale (MIS) and is an adaptation from the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (Mohr & Kedra, 2011) that takes into account the theoretical models by Marcia (1987) and Worthington et al. (2002) concerning heterosexual identity development. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the validity and reliability of the MIS. In Study 1 (n = 563 straight men) an Exploratory Factor Analysis and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported a 5-factor solution reflecting heterosexual male identity dimensions such as Acceptance Concerns, Identity Uncertainty, Identity Superiority, Identity Centrality and Heteronormativity. Predicted associations with measures of masculinity-related constructs and psychosocial functioning provided preliminary validity evidence for MIS scores in an undergraduate university male student population. Study 2 (n = 116 straight men) provided evidence of the test–retest and internal consistency reliability of MIS scores. These studies suggest that the MIS may offer researchers an efficient means of assessing the multiple dimensions of heterosexual male identity.

‘Conversations with strangers’ – autoethnography and the salvaging of a ‘precarious’ masculinity

I have often felt ashamed of the disabled aspect of my masculine identity. Reflexive, autoethnographical practices help me to ask why? These practices facilitate a reorientation of my frames of reference, from shame to acceptance, by examining attitudes which coalesce around what has been described as the dilemma of disabled masculinity. This dilemma arises as disability is associated with helplessness whereas masculinity is associated with power and autonomy. Power and strength are particularly salient as my own condition is one of weakness, a neuro-muscular disorder. Living outside societal constructions of masculinity can impact identity formation, employment prospects, and educational attainment. I describe the uncommon interplay between my health condition and working as a Further Education teacher to outline an accord between the precarity of this role and a disabled, masculine intersectionality. Accordingly, I assert that my disabled male identity is vital, vibrant, and valuable.

Cultivating masculinity: self-fashioning and the expression of a masculine identity in Cardinal Ippolito II’s Renaissance Garden at Villa d’Este, 1550-72

In 1550, Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este (one of the wealthiest men in Early Modern Rome) was appointed governor of Tivoli. Here, he commissioned the famous humanist Pirro Ligorio to design a magnificent Renaissance Garden for his new official residence: Villa d’Este. Though widely considered to be one of the most influential gardens in Europe, the profoundly formative influence of elite male power upon the site has been consistently overlooked. Villa d’Este was codified by carefully selected references to its patron’s wealth, education, and dynastic position, functioning as a living testament to his self-fashioning as a Princely Cardinal. This article situates Villa d’Este’s gardens within the complex nexus of masculine values and codes from which it arose, demonstrating how formal landscaping was irrevocably bound to its patron’s masculine self-fashioning and the semantics of elite male power. It emphasises the dissonance between the emerging vision of Counter-Reformation curial masculinity and the decadence of the formerly hegemonic High Renaissance Princely Cardinal, framing this friction as a generative force. Drawing upon hegemonic masculinity theory and masculinity crisis theory, it explores the multiple and often conflicting cultural and political work this garden performed, identifying specific masculine traits Ippolito sought to promote and glorify at Tivoli.

Designing Men's Health Programs: The 5C Framework.

Men are less likely than women to access or engage with a range of generic health programs across a diversity of settings. Designing health programs that mitigate barriers associated with normative ideals of masculinity has been widely viewed as a key factor in how health systems should respond, but strategies to engage men have often narrowly conceptualized male health behavior and risk inadvertently reinforcing negative and outdated gender stereotypes. Currently absent from the men's health literature is practical guidance on gender-transformative approaches to men's health program design-those which seek to quell harmful gender norms and purposefully promote health equity across wide-ranging issues, intervention types, and service contexts. In this article, we propose a novel conceptual model underpinned by gender-transformative goals to help guide researchers and practitioners tailor men's health programs to improve accessibility and engagement. The "5C framework" offers key considerations and guiding principles on the application of masculinities in program design irrespective of intervention type or service context. By detailing five salient phases of program development, the framework is intended as a designate approach to the design of accessible and engaging men's health programs that will foster progressive changes in the ways in which masculinity can be interpreted and expressed as a means to achieve health for all.

La vulnerabilidad de los cuerpos masculinos en el cine uruguayo

This article analyzes how Uruguayan cinema portrays the vulnerability of masculine bodies when they are consumed, objectified, and erotized as models of traditional masculinities to build and reproduce the national epic of soccer. Both children in youth soccer in Mi mundial (Carlos A. Morelli, 2017) and adults of marginal masculinities in the documentaries Mundialito (Sebastián Bednarik, 2010), Maracaná (Sebastián Bednarik and Andrés Varela, 2014), and Sangre de campeones (Sebastián Bednarik and Guzmán García, 2018) enter the heroic Uruguayan narrative by following hegemonic masculine ideals, but are then discarded after fulfilling their role. As a counterpoint to the hard and athletic bodies, the soft bodies in some visual fictions show their wounds and some transgressions, such as compassion and kindness in Una forma de bailar (Álvaro Buela, 1997), Rincón de Darwin (Diego Fernández, 2013), and Una noche sin luna (Germán Tejeira, 2014).

The role of ProFem advertising strategies in the construction of new identities

The purpose of the study was to examine the Mexican brand's advertising campaign and the effect of femvertising and menvertising strategies on modifying traditional stereotypes and constructing new masculine and feminine identities. A content analysis methodology is used in the study based on the principles of femvertising and menvertising advertising strategies. Results found that the representation of Mexican men assuming responsibility for household and care activities, as well as a narrative that aligns with the new masculine practices that are socially promoted and the feminine representation that continues to be linked to submission and domestic work, from the limitations, social implications, and main contributions of the work, found that there is a small amount of empirical research that discusses the advertising strategies of femvertising and menvertising and their role in the configuration of feminine and masculine identities. The social role of advertising and its influence on modifying traditional stereotypes are associated with both men and women, and the construction of identities for both strategies can be considered as Pro-feminist.

Experiences and management of urinary incontinence following treatment for prostate cancer: Disrupted embodied practices and adapting to maintain masculinity.

This article explores men's experiences of and management strategies for urinary incontinence (UI) following treatment for prostate cancer. Qualitative interviews with 29 men, recruited from two prostate cancer support groups, explored their post-treatment experiences. Drawing on a conceptual toolkit connecting theories of masculinities, embodiment, and chronic illness, this paper identifies older men's experiences and strategies for managing UI and explores how these are shaped by their masculinities. This article identifies interdependence between managing stigma for UI and maintaining masculinity. Men's embodied practices for engaging in activities in public, crucial to masculine identity, were disrupted. In response, they adopted new reflexive body techniques to manage and resolve their UI, and thereby address the threat to their masculine identities, characterised in three strategies: monitoring, planning, and disciplining. The new embodied practices men described suggest three factors as important components for adopting new reflexive body techniques: routine, desire, and unruliness.

THE DISCOURSE OF WHITE SUPREMACY TOWARDS CONFORMATION OF BLACK IDEAL MASCULINITY OF ALFA NDIAYE’S ATTRIBUTES IN DAVID DIOP’S NOVEL AT NIGHT ALL BLOOD IS BLACK

Colonialism is one of the events of colonization of Europeans or Western nations to a nation or continent with inferior value to its customs, intellectuality, and marginalization. It results in the distingency of social structures that experience racial inequality and discrimination, including black people. White supremacy perpetuates an ideology that can take away the human rights of blacks, especially the ideal identity of masculinity, the black men. Black men are represented as beasts, combat-ready pioneers, obedient slaves, and so on. This representation becomes a construction of an ideological discourse that marginalizes black people. This discourse affects psychological and social dualism and intersectionalism that rests on resistance to white supremacy. This study aims to reveal the discourse of the identity of idealistic masculinity in black men. The method used is descriptive-qualitative. This method is employed in relating the problems that occur to Alfa Ndiaye who experiences the traumatic experience of the death of his best friend in his life journey while tracing racial equality between the countries of Francophone, France-Africa (Senegal). This study uses intersectional, masculinity, and racial studies. The material object is the novel At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop. In contrast, the formal object is ideology's effect in identifying masculinity's attributes in black people, especially in the main character, Alfa Ndiaye. Thus, white hegemony always uses various ways to make the ‘wounded masculinity’ of Ndiaye feel pressured and it is considered that their savagery is beneficial for Captain Armand in raising French independence.

P-564 factors influencing men’s attitudes and behaviours regarding family building decisions: a systematic review and global perspective

Abstract Study question What factors influence men’s attitudes and behaviours regarding family building decisions? Summary answer The attitudes and behaviours of men regarding family building decisions are influenced by a combination of social and personal factors. What is known already Men have an important role to play in the decision-making process regarding family building. However, research on this topic has historically focused on women. Furthermore, existing research focuses primarily on data from high-income countries with limited perspectives from men from low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to explore the factors influencing men's attitudes and behaviours regarding family building decisions across low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Study design, size, duration A systematic review was conducted via a search on PubMed, Psych Info and Web of Science databases using the following keyword combinations; fertility AND intention OR desire OR pregnancy AND childbearing OR family building OR reproductive decision making AND attitudes OR motivations OR desires OR behaviours AND parenthood OR fatherhood OR men. Study designs were either qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methods. Participants/materials, setting, methods Studies were included if they examined men’s attitudes and behaviours regarding family building decisions, involved only male participants or male and female participants if the results for male participants were reported separately. Male participants undergoing fertility treatment, participants with or without children, or homosexual participants were included. Studies from any country, published between years 2010-2022, and in English language only were included. Main results and the role of chance A comprehensive search yielded 1745 articles, with studies being excluded if they involved female participants only, results were aggregated for studies including male and female participants and studies involving participants undergoing surrogacy or adoption. As a result, 22 studies were included in this review. From the 22 included studies, 2 main themes were derived; personal and social factors. The personal theme consisted of factors at the individual level related to finance, education, health, age, sexuality, masculinity, knowledge and other personal factors. The social theme related to wider issues, including social pressure, social support and marital status. Across included studies, the most common personal factor influencing men’s attitudes and behaviours regarding family building decisions was financial issues, that is, being financially stable/secure. The most common social factor across included studies was discovered to be support, that is, receiving support from family, society and workplace. Half of the included studies reported the stability of men’s relationship with their partner as a factor that influences their intention for fatherhood. Interestingly, masculinity was a recurring theme, with men reporting fatherhood as being an expression of masculinity and a way to fulfil their masculine roles and identity within their family, society and community. Limitations, reasons for caution Of the 22 studies included in this review, 8 of the studies involved young participants of ages ≤25 years, thus results obtained from these studies were not representative of the attitudes and behaviours of all adult men regarding family building decisions. Wider implications of the findings This is the first review to include studies of men from a combination of low-, middle- and high-income countries. Understanding men’s attitudes and behaviours regarding family building decisions can help raise and promote fertility awareness among men, thereby helping men achieve their desired reproductive intentions. Trial registration number not applicable

Exploring the impact of athletic identity on gender role conflict and athlete injury fear avoidance in male English professional academy football players

ABSTRACT Men’s academy football can encourage a commitment to the athletic role and masculine norms. When injured, the ability to fulfil an athletic masculine identity is threatened and athletes may experience injury fear-avoidance behaviours as part of a negative injury appraisal. The aim of the study was to explore whether higher athletic identity (AI) was associated with higher gender role conflict and injury-related fear-avoidance. Seventy-two male English academy footballers completed an Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS), Gender Role Conflict Scale (GRCS), and Athlete Fear Avoidance Questionnaire (AFAQ) based on self-reported historical injuries. Correlational analyses were conducted for all variables, and a one-way ANOVA was used to compare high, moderate, and low AI. AIMS was significantly positively correlated with two GRCS subscales: success, power, and competition (SPC) and restricted affectionate behaviour between men (RAM). AIMS exclusivity also positively correlated with SPC and AIMS negative affectivity positively correlated with GRCS total and RAM. Additionally, the current study showed that high and moderate levels of AI had significantly higher levels of total GRCS than those with low AI. No significant results were found for AIMS, GRCS, and AFAQ. Results suggest that players with higher and more exclusive AI may be susceptible to masculine role conflicts, specifically, SPC and RAM, especially when there is a risk to their athletic role. The current study informs sport and health professionals of the need to monitor AI and masculine conformity in academy-level footballers to minimise gender-role conflict and potential maladaptive rehabilitation responses when their identities are threatened.

Amalgamated Masculinities: The Masculine Identity of Contemporary Marginalised Working-Class Young Men

Recent, UK-based studies have focused on the construction of working-class masculine identity and documented changes and softer displays among young men. This article contributes to this literature and is based on ethnographic research conducted in Wales, UK, and a sample consisting of the most marginalised working-class young men often associated with protest masculinity, homophobia and misogyny. The findings illustrate that although the participants disclose behaviours linked to protest masculinity, they also demonstrate softer masculine displays, including physical tactility, sensitivity, gender-egalitarian views and rejection of homophobia. Although the elements of protest masculinity discount the embodiment of pure inclusive masculinity, the changes in views and behaviours among the subgroup of working-class young men are significant and congruent with other research in this field. The combination of gender practices is conceptualised as ‘amalgamated masculinities’, a fusion of locally constructed protest masculine characteristics and softer masculine attributes adopted through external cultural influence.