Masculinity: Is it really that deep? (#phrasing)

“Be a man”, “toughen up”, “quit being soft”; these are all things that most of us (especially men) have heard at some point in our lives. Our societies worldwide have established constructs that determine what they feel is “manly”; and, by extension, the idea of masculine/manly is often synonymous with “better”. This works on a spectrum: from small things that most people wouldn’t feel slighted about (example: how much more frequently do you hear “look at my big, strong son” compared to “look at my big, strong, daughter), with the other end of the spectrum being full blown misogyny (e.g. women should be subservient to men in all forms).

After a nose-job, and flawless contouring, obviously he’s just as confused as I am as to why someone would have an issue with a man/alien-thing doing these things.

While these constructs can no-doubt work in favor for some, is this the best mentality for society as a whole? We already can see some of the obvious problems with how this mentality has damaged society: wage gap, unfair double standards, the fact that we even NEED to make “fuck the patriarchy” apparel (seriously, society? We really have to tell you why “grab em by the pussy” is problematic?). And these constructs don’t just negatively impact women. Any person who identifies as a male, but doesn’t fall into what is deemed to be typical masculine roles/thoughts/etc is often demonized.

Gender roles are one thing……..but are we serious gendering basic survival needs?

These ideals have permeated into sports, politics, and even everyday life; but can we do better? And if we can, then how do we accomplish this. This is the introductory article to an in depth evaluation of societal functions, gender dynamics, and what are potential positive possibilities for society as a whole. Next article up: How the Dynamics of Masculinity Affect Sports.