Relationship Between Hegemonic Masculinity and Toxic Masculinity
2000 Words | 40% |
IMPORTANT NOTE: All essays should make use of minimum 2 required readings from the final block of the unit of study* (Weeks 8-12). You should also make links to other required readings from the unit as and when appropriate to your analysis (aim for 3-6 readings total). Failure to comply with this requirement risks making your response irrelevant to the task (and could raise questions of academic dishonesty - as one of the signs of a bought or recycled essay can be failure to address the specific requirements of the unit/prompt). Of course, you're welcome to make links to other academic work in the unit or outside it as you see fit! Just make sure the heart of the essay involves engagement with materials from this unit.
Choose ONE of the following options:
1.Take a concrete example of a contribution to popular debate about gender that you disagree with (it might be a youtube video, a political press release, a tiktok etc). Draw on readings from this unit to explain the opinion/argument advanced by the text and why you disagree with it. Don't forget to reference your chosen text in your essay.
2.The body is a site of much discussion and debate in gender studies scholarship. What are some ways the relationship between the body and gender have been debated, challenged and reimagined?
3.Discuss the relationship between ‘toxic masculinity’ and ‘hegemonic masculinity’? As there is not an established scholarly definition of toxic masculinity you will need to ground your discussion in concrete examples of how the term is used)
4.In her discussion of the disappearance and murder of Native women in Canada, Audra Simpson argues that this violence should be understood as 'sociology' rather than simply 'crime' (Simpson, 2016, p. 3). How might this distinction be useful in understanding violence in other contexts?
5.Consider the mobilisation of anger and/or hope in contemporary feminism (using Ahmed and Watego). Drawn on 1-2 concrete examples of feminist activism or commentary from outside the unit to ground your analysis. These examples could be from manifestos, political statements, opinion articles, political actions, advertisements (etc.)
6.Is it possible to have a feminist masculinity? Draw on hooks and Connell & Messerschmitt and other readings from the unit in your response
IMPORTANT REMINDER ABOUT REFERENCING: please use an in-text referencing style that includes the author's name, the date of publication, and the page number (where possible/relevant). You must include references for all direct quotes, and should try and include references wherever you are directly drawing on another author's thoughts. You must include a complete and accurate reference list.
The Relationship between Hegemonic Masculinity and Toxic Masculinity
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The Relationship between Hegemonic Masculinity and Toxic Masculinity
Gender and feminism studies often seem to include the theme of masculinity in their discussions. In its common usage, masculinity often refers to a social value regulating how men should and should not behave. In this case, masculinity is often associated with ‘maleness’ or the features and conduct that define the ideal man. However, other terms are often used alongside masculinity, including hegemonic and toxic masculinity. These terms usually involve the portrayal of men concerning women. More precisely, they involve the treatment of women as the inferior gender and explain the violence and sexism displayed by some men.
Toxic masculinity is a relatively new concept that scholars have yet to define conceptually. While some argue that it should not be adopted as an analytical concept, it is essential to acknowledge and clarify its usage. The rationale is that toxic masculinity is often used whenever a man raises his voice, adopts a foreboding posture, occupies more space in public transport, or even posts abusive remarks on social media. Many of such ills are also associated with hegemonic masculinity, which necessitates an examination of the relationship between the two terms. In this case, it is easier to perceive toxic masculinity as those aspects of hegemonic masculinity that are socially destructive.
Defining Toxic Masculinity
Several descriptions of the term' toxic masculinity' have been provided, but a formal definition still lacks. According to Harrington (2021), men's movements coined toxic masculinity in the 20th century. However, feminists have been associating toxic masculinity with homophobia, misogyny, and male violence since 2013. Toxic masculinity describes behavioral responses to the internalized normative gender concepts that dictate a man's gendered sense of being and self in various harmful ways (Markou, 2019). In other words, the toxicity does not lie with the masculinity. Instead, it lies with the reactions to their perceived ideas about gender that manifests through behaviors and preferences. Such a description also infers that toxic masculinity is the collision between dominant gender concepts that are themselves toxic and the consequent maladaptive or toxic thoughts and behaviors (Markou, 2019). Therefore, it appears that the term has often been misused since some of the aspects that people associate with toxic masculinity are indeed part of hegemonic masculinity, as will be outlined earlier.
The term toxic masculinity has often been absent in scholarly work. However, the mainstream and new media have been the main spheres where discussions of toxic masculinity have appeared. A genuine scholarly effort to define the term can be found in a recent study on intervening in bullying cases. In this case, the term toxic masculinity was defined as “the constellation of socially regressive [masculine] traits that serve to foster domination, the devaluation of women, homophobia, and wanton violence” (Ingram et al., 2019, p. 140). Such a definition differs from the above ideas that treat toxic masculinity as the response to these traits. However, the basic tenet across these descriptions of toxic masculinity is that toxic masculinity involves socially destructive responses to one’s notions of gender and masculinity.
Defining Hegemonic Masculinity
Hegemonic masculinity is easier to define and conceptualize since it has received more scholarly attention than toxic masculinity. Hegemonic masculinity was formulated in the early 1980s to describe sex roles created by society and how society legitimizes patriarchy (Rosida et al., 2022). The term hegemony often describes a power relationship where some members exercise power and suppress the will and norms of the rest. From a gender perspective, hegemonic masculinity describes a cultural hegemony characterized by restrictions in behavior based on gender roles that favor the masculine culture (Chowdhury et al., 2019). Hegemonic masculinity is often discussed in gender roles and gender violence literature, often to critique oppressive roles assigned to women. In this case, behavior and norms have been blamed for hegemonizing one gender over another. The term was also used to describe homophobia witnessed among some men who remained opposed to feminism and the gay movements of the late 20th century. In this case, hegemonic masculinity can be described as the notions of masculinity that result in the oppression of women based on gender and the idealized male role (Connell & Messerschmidt, 2005). In other words, hegemonic masculinity legitimizes the dominant position of men in society.
An interesting point to note is that the hegemonic nature of masculinity does not lie with the individual. Instead, hegemonic masculinity is culturally constructed, after which it shapes personal interactions, systems, institutions, and practices (Buiten & Naidoo, 2020). Historically, cultures have defined and divided gender roles, often at the disadvantage of the female gender. The result has been gendered economic inequality, gendered education, health, political systems, and division of labor. In some cases, gendered violence has also resulted from the cultural constructions of gender roles and the place of women in society. For example, cultures that require women to submit to men also confer to men the power to enforce the submission. Therefore, it can be argued that all instances where men present themselves as superior to women and seek to exercise power over them reflect the results of hegemonic masculinity.
Toxic versus Hegemonic Masculinity
The relationship between toxic masculinity and hegemonic masculinity can be expressed in terms of how they are used in various contexts. In this case, the best context to examine the link between these terms is gender violence and the oppression of women in society. In other words, the very place of women in society can help understand hegemonic and toxic masculinity. The first aspect to understand is the difference between the two regarding their usage and conceptual formulation. As expressed earlier, hegemonic masculinity is a cultural construction of gender roles that creates the hegemonic power of men over women. Cultural hegemony influences personal interactions and other social aspects, including institutions and systems (Buiten & Naidoo, 2020). This assertion means that hegemonic masculinity can be understood by examining social and cultural systems to explain w...