Masculinity Essay Examples - Free Research Paper Topics on StudyDriver.com

Masculinity of Mike Tyson

“Iron Mike” Events, icons, technology, and environment affect the male population in America. Most males have a person they look up to for inspirations and motivations. Males want to be tough and strong, and they want to be feared by other males. Males enjoy being better than everyone else and impressing women. When a successful male icon experiences a downfall, most men are shocked and fear for their own downfall. Mike Tyson is an example of a successful male whose […]

Masculinity Crisis Today in our Society

The feeling that men should be violent, strong, protective, supportive, and so on is some of the traits that society brainwashes our men into embodying today. Men who are weak or do not make the income for the family, stay at home dads, are often ridiculed for not being “man enough”. This is what we call the masculinity crisis that is happening in todays world. There are numerous individuals that agree with the claim that Men should just “be men” […]

Masculinity Contributes to the Problem of Sexual Assault on Campus

Sexual assaults have reached a tipping point; they are the stage of an epidemic and need to be a priority going forward. According to the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), someone is sexually assaulted every 98 seconds (RAINN, n.d.). Sexual assault is a global problem, but Americans in particular have been struggling with that issue, and you need to look no further than what is happening on college campuses to understand why. The issue of sexual assault is […]

Toxic Masculinity Within Enron and Glengarry Glen Ross

Toxic masculinity is the cultural ideal of manliness, where strength, money, and aggression are everything, while emotions, failure, and supposed feminine traits are considered weaknesses (O’Malley). James Foley’s Glengarry Glen Ross and Lucy Prebble’s Enron deeply explore the impact that toxic masculinity has on corporate culture, and the repercussions that it causes within society. In Glengarry Glen Ross, however, the management forces toxic masculinity down the throats of the salesmen at Premiere Properties, creating detrimental competition for materialistic gain that […]

American Masculinity

What do we Americans consider as masculine? Masculinity by definition on Google is the “possession of the qualities traditionally associated with men.” but what kind of qualities makes a man? In the academic article “Masculinity as Homophobia” by the American sociologist Michael S. Kimmel, he stated that “American manhood is rooted in the sphere of production, the public arena, a masculinity grounded not in landownership or in artisanal republican virtue but in successful participation.” Kimmel’s way of elaborating how masculinity […]

Hegemony Masculinity

In modern society today, it is apparent that fundamental social change is affecting the definitions of all areas of cultural, political and economical practices. This social evolution is partly because the ideas of new popular messages presented by media and social media. For example, while dominant masculinity is still practiced and common in our culture, advertisements today have offered a variety of different paradigms that men may identify with that can create an open ended definition of masculinity hegemony. “Hegemony […]

Toxic Masculinity: what it is and how it Manifests itself

Toxic masculinity exists in every culture. The determination to prove oneself, evolves from childhood to adulthood. Men feel they need to prove to everyone that they are “real men” by performing risky actions. They feel they need to take on the world, pushing their limits; in different situations, whether it is defending the honor of their family, loved one, or simply their own. Jennifer K. Bosson and Joseph A. Vandello state that men repeatedly try to up their status and […]

Evaluate the Use of Masculinity in Hemingways in our Time

The theme of masculinity suggests itself as an obvious area of focus with Hemingway’s collection In Our Time, as these short stories and vignettes are explicitly concerned with men, male activities, male professions and traditionally masculine areas of human experience such as war, hunting and fighting. The collection is notable for its focus on male characters, most notably figures such as Nick Adams, and for the relative absence of women (indeed, Hemingway titled another of his short story collections Men […]

Okonkwo Valued Masculinity

Okonkwo was a very well known young man, due to solid personal achievements. Achievements such as throwing Amalinze the Cat, a wrestler who was known for being undefeated for 7 years. Masculinity is something very important to him. The importance of masculinity is shown towards the beginning of the book where Okonkwo insults a man by calling him a woman. This action of his shows how masculinity is valued when ranking people in Umuofia society. Karma eventually got to him […]

Is Traditional Masculinity the Solution?

Many psychologists argue that traditional masculinity is an issue we face today. However, some argue it’s the cure we need. One author, David French, wrote “Grown Men are the Solution, not the Problem”, published 2019 in the National Review in rebuttal to the majority of claims made on the controversial issue of masculinity today by arguing it is not the problem with men. With a claim that “traditional masculinity isn’t the problem, it can be part of the cure”, David […]

Scenes that Show Masculinity

In this essay i will be analyzing and discussing the themes that were discussed that were used in the movie fight club. The first and main one being is masculinity. Violence was another theme that was used. Third one and most important one is identity and the last one is consumerism. The movie tells a story in which the narrator in the story develops these new personalities as to who he actually wants to be. Fight club was created by […]

The Performance of Masculinity in “Boys don’t Cry”

The movie ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ is based on the real-life story of a Falls City, Nebraska transgender man named Brandon Teena. His story in the film shows failures in gender performance. Unfortunately for Brandon, he failed to show the difference between sex and gender and how they are binary. Because of his failed gender performance, Brandon was forced to return to a heterosexual reality. One of the things which ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ depicts is Judith Butler’s “gender performativity”. She defines […]

The Play ‘Trifles’: Masculinity Problem

Many men often overlook small but important characteristics of their environment due to the excessive amount of masculinity that they possess. However, women are sometimes cognizant of the things that men overlook. Susan Glaspell, author of the play Trifles, wrote about Mrs. Peter and Mrs. Hale, who find the truth in a murder investigation managed by three men . The themes in this play are established in its opening scenes. The play closely examines the complicated relationships between wives and […]

The Relationship between Masculinity and Depression

There is expansive proof of men’s hesitance to look for help for emotional wellness issues. Studies support the by and large held suspicion that men are more outlandish than ladies to get help from psychological wellness experts for issues (1). A group of experimental exploration has investigated explanations behind help-chasing choices just as administration use conduct among men with depression. Exploration frequently proposes that men’s assistance looking for conduct in regards to depression is ascribed to conventional manly standards, for […]

The Future of Masculinity

What makes a man? The qualities associated with men always include words like power, strength, aggressiveness, and lack of emotions. From a young age, boys are taught these standards and are expected to follow them or else they are ostracized and looked down on. Men are pressured to conform to society’s standards of masculinity in fear of being rejected by their peers even if they do not believe in what they are doing. Where do they learn their behaviors and […]

Suicide Rate Due to Perception of Masculinity

The suicide rate has increased significantly, especially in men. In “Is Social Media Contributing to Rising Teen Suicide Rate,” Sarah Smith argues that the rising suicide rate has multiple contributing factors. Masculinity interferes with men seeking mental health treatment. Smith says, no single factor has caused the increase in suicide. Individuals with histories of suicidal exposure, abuse, and legal problems have higher chances of suicide. Further, Smith suggests that the emotional well-being of teenagers effect their relationships. Smith uses the […]

The Male Body Image and Toxic Masculinity

Growing up, as a kid I have always been told things like “boys don’t cry” and “that’s so gay” and “are you a girl” or even “don’t be a pussy”. Kids never really think about these things when they are told to them. As a kid you never really question these kinds things that are told to you, you just go with it. A lot of the time kids grow up hearing these things and it actually has a pretty […]

Film ‘Rebel Without a Cause’: Face of Masculinity

There’s a question that rests in the back of every human’s mind. This question awakens at the darkest and deepest hour. Who am I? In the film, Rebel Without a Cause, this simple question stirs in the mind of the protagonist, Jim Stark. At first glance, Stark is portrayed as a troubled teenager; however, in a deeper dissection of his character it is revealed that his actions are consequences from his lack of a male role model. Throughout the film, […]

Character Analysis David in Giovanni’s Room, a Novel by James Baldwin

Throughout Giovanni’s Room, Baldwin makes a series of references to David’s sense of fabricated manhood or masculinity impressed upon him by his father. In the first chapters, David alludes to the hollow jocularity between father and son. This hyperbolized masculinity from his father leads to the formation of David’s fervid belief in archetypal manhood, inducing his unconscious, lifelong pursuit of an ideal masculinity. This pursuit ultimately becomes one of the driving forces behind his actions for the remainder of the […]

Symbolism in “Story of an Hour”

“Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, 1894, is about a wife who has heart problems, she has just been told about the news of her husband dying in a train accident. This news brings joy to her, instead of the sadness of which normally comes when losing someone. She gets this sense of freedom, which is ended by her death, she is surprised by the appearance of her husband safe and at home now. “The Hand” by Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, […]

Human Sexuality Gender Inequality

Introduction In the contemporary human society, media texts have a great influence on what individuals consume, think, talk, and believe. In essence, media has occupied significant part in peoples’ daily undertakings. The latter seems to be the major determinant on how one perceives and understands the world. Preliminary research findings have demonstrated that media has a unique way of representing social variables like gender, race, and sexuality. In this respect, this paper is focused on the analysis of gender representation […]

Lady Macbeth between Ambition and Femininity

What makes a woman is the traits that equates to her femininity. Traits that we commonly associate with femininity are compassion, motherhood, and fragility. Lady Macbeth traded those in favor of ambition, ruthlessness, and determination in the pursuit of power. Lady Macbeth pressured her husband into committing regicide to fulfill her greed for power. Lady Macbeth’s character conflicts between femininity and masculinity as they are shaped by cultural norms. Manipulative, greedy, deceitful, and ruthless; Lady Macbeth’s dark intentions develop throughout […]

Movie ‘Moonlight’

The film Moonlight creates a discussion about black men dealing with masculinity issues and finding a true identity. This film uses the symbolism of water to depict the different aspects of Chiron’s life that slowly help develop his identity. I believe that the use of water is signifying the idea of change. One important scene from this movie was during the first act when Juan teaches Chiron how to swim. This moment is when the relationship between Juan and Chiron […]

Gender Swapping: Swap the Character, Swap the Role

Most, if not all, schools have experienced a day filled with a politically charged social movement, fighting against the norm and clashing with conformity: Opposite Day. This day seems like a humorous, spirit filled event, yet the overwhelming number of students participating in cross-dressing demonstrates otherwise. Boys and girls (or should I say males and females) perform the opposite of their socially instilled gender. This temporary gender performativity is primarily expressed through clothing, yet gender performance itself is not limited […]

Gender, Sexuality and the Body

Gender is defined as “the expectations of thought and behavior that each culture assigns to people of different sexes” by Ken Guest in The Essentials of Cultural Anthropology. The idea of gender is not organic; it is formed within a culture and societies’ expectations. Gender involves social norms, attitudes, and activities that are deemed appropriate for one sex over the other in society. A person must conform to the norms, attitudes, and activities associated with their assigned gender to fit […]

Dissociative Identity Disorder in “Fight Club”

Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is an ailment, where one endures shock in his initial years, for example underneath the age of 10. The reason could be achieved by being harmed by the nearby individuals, through being beaten harshly, or through a sexual maltreatment. However a large portion of us have had a peaceful separation, such as building impractical plans, where the psyche turns off briefly, this can’t be named as dissociative identity disorder. DID is a more extreme kind of […]

Gender Awareness-raising: Gender and Sexuality Studies Programs

Introduction Awareness-raising is a process that can facilitate the exchange of personal insights and perceptions to promote a mutual understanding of them. In Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) programs gender awareness-raising intends to change attitudes, behaviors and beliefs that reinforce gender inequalities (Haider, 2012). As a former graduate student in WGSS, I can say the when students enroll in this classes, they challenge their own perceptions of gender in ways that they probably did not do before. Thus, Women, […]

Gender Roles in “Full House”

Production The series Full House, created by the very well-known and talented producer, Jeff Franklin, is a well-acclaimed television sitcom that first aired in 1987. ABC picked up the series in 2003 where the show was able to return to the channel it was originally written for. Another intention for Full House was that it was originally intended to be called “House of Comics,” which would have featured three comics living together. However, when Franklin first proposed this idea to […]

Portraying Male Gender Within Medieval Literature

Introduction The history of masculinity seems to have piqued the interests of gender theorists in recent years. These theorists begin by analyzing the marginalized outlook of what it means to be a man. The construction of male power in society seems to have had quite the influence during the creation of atypical heroes found within literary texts. Although men have always been associated with a trait of dominance, no instance highlights this perception greater than when examining characteristics commonly present […]

Faludi as a Lens for Fight Club

Imagine if there was a place where you were not judged based on your appearance, socioeconomic status but solely on your ability to physically overpower the person standing in front of you. The 1999 film Fight Club, directed by David Fincher, tells the story of two men who form an underground club where they fight violently against other men. The creation of Fight Club served as an outlet for a group of men who felt emasculated by their corporate jobs […]

Masculinity Essays