Changing Male Identities

Connell (1995) argued there are a range of masculine identity available today

  • Hegemonic masculinity so traditional and most commonly seen industrial jobs so dominant, aggressive and breadwinner
  • Subordinate masculinity as homosexual men so

Stigmatised identity

Seen as the inferior man

Demonstrate traits which are opposite to hegemonic masculinity

Become socially acceptable

  • Marginalised Masculinity – A form of masculinity that lacks the characteristics of hegemonic masculinity

Unsure of his social stance and feels pushed out such as disabled or belong to ethnic group so links to unemployed men but present not fully acceptance

  • Complicit masculinity known has the new man

Keeps up with appearance and helps around the house

Believes in shared family roles

In touch with feminine side

Most came up with the metrosexual man

Meticulous about grooming and appearance

Lad or chav so they don’t care for education and rules

The Crisis of Masculinity

Rise in male unemployment led to some sociologists declaring males are experiencing the crisis of masculinity which led to depression and suicide

The term is used to refer to the insecurity felt by working class men

Been a loss of breadwinner identity with declining of traditional male industries

Mac, Ghall and Sewell

Emergence of hyper-masculinity among young males who look to violence and promiscuity to earn respect

Fallais study of subculture of young Americans male known as spur posse observes young working-class males responded by blaming feminism for trouble and sexual violence and only form of power

Canaan (1996)

Researched working class men in Wolverhampton

Questioned those employed and unemployed long term

Asked what’s the most important thing about being a man; those with jobs said fighting, drinking and sexual conquests so it’s predictable

Those without jobs said having a job as they felt emasculated due to unemployment