Wrong teachings - Amy Chang

Misrepresentation of Masculinity

Research:

1.) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "Facts at a Glance 2012 - Centers for Disease Control and ..." Sexual Violence. 2012. Web.

2.) The Mask You Live In. Dir. Jennifer Siebel Newsom. January 2015. Documentary. 

3.) "Men and Masculinities - Women and Gender Advocacy Center." Men and Masculinities - Women and Gender Advocacy Center (WGAC). Colorado State University. 2008. Web. 

4.)  Warrior, Lightning. ""THE MASK YOU LIVE IN"- A Feminist’s Guide to Being A Man." SOVEREIGN SONS OF HYPERBOREA. 26 June 2016. Web.

5.) Ehrmann, Joe. "Be A Man: Joe Ehrmann at TEDxBaltimore 2013." YouTube. TEDxTalks, 20 Feb. 2013. Web.

• Misrepresentation of masculinity is a huge factor in the U.S. culture. Boys are taught to be strong, independent and not be emotional. This can cause loneliness, emotionless, violence and depression. Sometimes men become hypermasculine, which increases aggression, physical strength and sexuality. The meaning of masculinity is socially constructed.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 

• "Nearly 1 in 5 (18.3%) women and 1 in 71 men (1.4%) reported experiencing rape at some time in their lives."
• "Approximately 1 in 20 women and men (5.6% and 5.3%, respectively) experienced sexual violence other than rape, such as being made to penetrate someone else, sexual coercion, unwanted sexual contact, or non-contact unwanted sexual experiences, in the 12 months prior to the survey."
• "In a nationally representative survey of adults, 37.4% of rape victims were first raped between ages 18-24."
• "Among female rape victims, perpetrators were reported to be intimate partners (51.1%), family members (12.5%), acquaintances (40.8%) and strangers (13.8%)."
• "Among male rape victims, perpetrators were reported to be acquaintances (52.4%) and strangers (15.1%)."

Quote from a Professor of Sociology named Michael Kimmel: 

"If I was to say what is the major emotion of American masculinity, it is anxiety. Why? Because you have to prove your masculinity all the time." (Lightning Warrior)

Statements from Joe Ehrmann at TEDxBaltimore: 

Joe Ehrmann explains how the society teaches boys to be masculine. He states that there is a 3-word phrase that is "culturally destructive". The 3-word phrase is "be a man". He states, "It's a 3 scariest words that every man receives in his lifetime". Boys are taught at a young age that "in order to be a man, they've got to separate their hearts from their heads". To show emotions is a sign of "masculine failure". Boys learn masculinity from teachers, peers, parents, media, sports, movies, video games and more. When boys become juniors and high school students, they learn about "sexual conquest", which means that they could bring a girl along "and then use her. Use her to either gratify some kind of physical need or use her to validate some kind of masculine insecurity". Lastly, men are taught that masculinity associates with "economic success" as though being men are based on job titles, job positions, power or "the amount of possession (they have) accumulated". These are all myths of masculinity taught to boys and men. A term called "alexithymia" is a word that means "an inability to put emotions and feelings into words". The American Psychological Association would estimate that "80% of American men suffer from some form of alexithymia" in which 5-6 years old boys "were told to stop with the emotions" and feelings. They were told not express their emotions especially in public. If boys and men are taught not to understand their own emotions and feelings, they "will never understand the feelings of emotions of another human being". Men feel the need to "measure up with a man" given the culture we are live in. Ehrmann states, "America is one of the most violent nations in the world". Expressing emotions and feelings is not a sign of weakness. Ehrmann states that how our culture is teaching and demonstrating masculinity to boys and men is incorrect. His definition of masculinity comes in two criteria: relationship of what it means to love and be loved, and to become a cause to make the world a better place (Ehrmann). He explains, "It's all about relationships and it's all about commitment to a cause".

Statistics from the documentary film The Mask You Live In:

• 94% of mass killings are men; mass shooting increased since 2011
• 90% of homicide are men
• 93% of boys are exposed to internet porn that shows brutality and sexual aggression towards women, before the age of 18
• Less than 50% of boys and men with mental health challenges seek help
• Every day 3 or more boys commit suicide in the U.S.; and suicide is the third leading cause of death for boys
• Abused children are 9x more likely to commit violent crimes
• Boys in the U.S. are 30% more likely that girls to flunk or drop-out of school
• Only 22 states require public schools to teach sex education

Facts from The Mask You Live In:

Boys are taught at a young age about how to be masculine. There are these "rules" that boys learn about how to be a man. Some of the rules include: not crying, look down on emotions and can not talk about being sad. A former NFL player and football coach named Joe Ehrmann talks about how our culture sees masculinity. According to Joe Ehrmann, there are three lies that boys are taught about how to be masculine: athletic ability, economic success and sexual conquest. These lies usually end up hurting boys and men emotionally. In the film The Mask You Live In, Dr. Joseph Marshall mentions the reason why the wrong teachings of masculinity could lead to violence. He states, "If you're told from day one, 'don't let nobody disrespect you and this is the way you handle it as a man', respect is linked to violence". Boys and men feel the need to prove their masculinity "only when they are feeling shamed and humiliated or feel they would be if they didn't prove that they were real men" (Dr. James Gilligan).

• The image below shows that a list of characteristic traits in a "box". In our culture, boys are taught that these traits are what represent an ideal man. The traits that are not in the "box" are the traits that do not represent a man. These traits are mostly feminine traits. When men are called by these feminine insults, they are belittled. To be a man is to have masculine traits.
  

Image by WGAC

Personal: 

This social issue is relevant because misrepresenting masculinity not only affects boys and men, it also affects women. Some men who use violence as a way to get what they want such as respect. Hypermasculinity is another type of masculinity where men are so obsessed to become the ideal man that they become more aggressive, sexual and stronger. This could lead to serious bullying and sexual assault. Women are affected by this because they could be victims of violent abuse. Since I am a woman, I thought this is an important issue that needs to be addressed to our society. When boys are not taught the correct way to be masculine, there are more risks. This social issue directly affects me because I do not want boys to grow up becoming aggressive men. Addressing this social issue could improve the lives of boys and men because they will not have these high expectations of what it means to be a man. Our society should start redefining the meaning of masculinity.

Gathering Evidence: