Performing Masculinity in Modern Society
Many people try all different things to perform masculinity that sometimes is makes them so difficult to perform. Living in a society where media promotes masculinity in a very absurd way because whenever they promote masculinity in media they would try the concept of the ideal guy whom this guy should look very handsome, athletic, well fitted, successful, and masculine. In reality there is no ideal guy what so ever in society. Growing up in a hegemonic masculinity society where you needed to perform the correct things or show that you were a men by not letting someone disrespect you or get criticize for looking different than other guys. During my high school years I played football and there was this gay guy who would get teased because he played football. He would get teased because according to the other football players he was not a man because he would not lift heavy weights like the other guys, would talk different, and would walk different as well. Majority of people think that gay guys would walk different like a girl and talk different but my friend would walk like any guy walks. He also had this squeaky voice because he was born with it. Most football players think that they are the ideal guy because they perform masculinity, and do not have any defects. Philosopher Alan Sheriden talks about The control activity where he introduces the concepts of “The correlation of the body and the gesture” where he talks about how disciplinary control does not consist of teaching or imposing a series of particular gestures. My experience relates to these concept because you do not teach someone how to walk correctly or it does not take time to learn it. It is a natural thing were you naturally do it because you were born with i. Also the way someone talks, you do not teach someone to talk manly with a deep or squeaky voice because it is a natural thing.
Performing masculinity can be a dangerous thing not only to the person performing it but to people around them. Every time I turn on the television or see a movie I see the main actors as the ideal guy media promotes. Hollywood also does a very well job in showing the ideal guy to viewers and especially to men because men do dangerous things to get into shape or try to dangerous jobs. Some are not satisfy with their shape because movies or social network tends to show how most guys who are in shape would get more girls. A good example is the axe commercial where they promote masculinity by having a good looking surrounded by woman every time they use axe. For example when every time I go see my friend that works in the gym, I see guys working out to death trying to get in shape so bad because they are not satisfied with their shape. Some try to discipline their bodies by taking extra vitamins that can hurt their health and also take supplemental proteins to help them grow. This leads to a very unhealthy life which is putting themselves in danger in order for them to be this ideal guy they see. Sheriden also talks about the body is condemned where he introduces the concept of a docile body where one that may be subjected used , transformed, and improvement can be only achieved through strict regiments of disciplinary acts. Guys in the gyms tried so hard to discipline themselves by doing rigorous exercises in order for them to achieve their goal in becoming the ideal men. They believe that by becoming the ideal men like in Hollywood or in social network it would make them successful in life.
