Crisis Of Masculinity: Describe How Male Privileges Permeates Society (Essay Sample)

Given male privilege permeates all aspects of society, do recent accounts of a ‘crisis of masculinity’ really matter?
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Table of contents
TOC \o "1-1" \h \z \u Introduction PAGEREF _Toc408668420 \h 3
The development of masculinity and femininity PAGEREF _Toc408668421 \h 4
Crisis of masculinity PAGEREF _Toc408668422 \h 5
Why masculinity matters PAGEREF _Toc408668423 \h 8
Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc408668424 \h 9
Introduction
Masculinity is defined as characteristics that are appropriate to the male sex and traditional ideologies. Masculinity discourses are generally related to men being naturally strong, competitive, aggressive, technically minded and judicious. On the same issue, most sociologists, specifically feminist scholars have claimed that such masculine identity characteristics contribute to the systematic dominance of perceived power of men and authority within social institutions such as the place of work, education and the family. On the past few years, a huge deal regarding sociological research has been conducted on men and masculinities identifying changing features of masculinity. Various observers have identified that changes within social and economical climate in regards to society is to be blamed for provoking a crisis in masculinity, in which traditional roles of men are being eroded. Forces that are globalised from economics to technology to feminism are transforming the men’s role. In addition, men are faring specifically badly in most areas of their life. From alcohol and drug misuse to general life expectancy, from homelessness to education, they are clearly looking it increasingly challenging to cope as they attempt to adapt to situations that are entirely unprecedented.
In recent years, men have become the topic of growing political, policy and academic debates; in some respects, this is not new. There have been previous moments of debate concerning men, and then, in dissimilar sense, much of politics, research and policy have often been concerning men. However, what is new is that, the discussions concerning men are now more explicit, more gendered, more varied and sometimes more significant. At these discussions’ base is the assumption that men, same to women, are not ‘just naturally like this’ or ‘just bound to be that way’ however, are the social, historical, economic, political, and cultural forces outcomes. On social alteration that is currently in place is that, men and masculinities can at least be discussed about as problematic. The paper discusses why masculinity is in crisis and why it matters in society.
The development of masculinity and femininity
In concern to western culture, men are regarded as aggressive, competitive and instrumentally oriented while women are regarded as passive, expressive, and cooperative. Previous thoughts always neglected that this division was recognized on underlying innate dissimilarities in characteristics, features and traits of both males and females. Masculinity and femininity measures were always applied to diagnose what were regarded as challenges of basic gender recognition, for instance, masculine females and feminine males. Individuals then understand that femininity and masculinity are not innate; rather, they are based on social and cultural situations.
To elaborate more on masculinity, there are three theories that explain its development. These theories include psychoanalytic theory, learning theories that emphasize direct reinforcement and the cognitive-developmental theory. These theories involve a two-part process. The first part is that child comes to recognize that he or she is a male of female. In the second section, they come to realize what being male or female implies in terms of femininity or masculinity.
According to Freud’s theory (1927) (psychoanalytic theory), an individual’s gender develop via identification with similar sex parent. This recognition occurs out of the conflict inherent in the oedipal stage of psychosexual development. At the age of three, a child grows a strong sexual attachment to the opposite sex parent. In regards to that, negative feelings appear for the similar sex parent that is based in resentment and jealousy. At the age six, the child resolves the psychic conflict through relinquishing desires experienced in the opposite sex parent and recognition with the same-sex parent. Therefore, boys are able to learn masculinity from their fathers while girls experience femininity from their mothers.
Formulation on Freud’s theory argues that mothers play a significant part in development of gender identity. More likely, mothers are able to relate to their sons as different and separate due to the reason that they are not of similar sex. Similar to that, they experience oneness and continuity sense with their daughters because they are of similar sex. As an outcome, mothers bond with their daughters therefore fostering femininity in girls. Similarly, mothers create a distance from their sons who respond through shifting their attention away from their mother towards their father. Boys learn masculinity through identification with their father.
Crisis of masculinity
Talking about ‘crisis of masculinity’, it seems that men are more confused and insecure because of the assault of women on ‘male power bastions’ and the developing ‘social and cultural lack of approval of traditional masculinity displays (Hamber, 2010, 81). The contradictions that are experienced between the old ideals of masculinity and the real social position of men in association to women is argued to lead to a ‘potent patriarchal hangover’ as analyzed by Lemon (1995, 62). The discourse of this ‘crisis of masculinity’ ahs its background in the anti-feminist literature recognized in the reaction to that of women and gay liberation movements in the Western nations. The reality that the masculinity crisis discourse has permeated various societies in various nations does not imply that it is plausible. On contrary to that, the crisis theory cannot adequately elaborate the violent masculinities prevalence, hence the high gender-based violence level.
Crisis theory illustrates masculinity as a singular and stable sex role to which all men follow. Nevertheless, the singular male sex role does not prevail. Therefore, the crisis theory fails to acknowledge that not all men have responded to the agenda of equality of the post-apartheid porch through resorting to behavior of violence. Indeed, the post-apartheid porch has examined a whole range of accommodating and progressive responses to the equality of gender. Some of these responses created by men have strongly amended the dominant masculine code. Various organizations dealing with gender actively promote and draw upon non-violent and non-sexist masculinities. The non-violent responses illustrate that the perceived over empowerment concerning women cannot plausibly provide rise to violent masculinities.
Feud’s theory argues that homosexuality is not a simple gender switch and ‘a large proportion of male maintain the masculinity’s mental quality’. Freud argues that masculine and feminine currents coexist in each individual. The most significant stage that is experienced in early life that impact the construction of the male identity is the oedipal complex as discussed by Freud. The misidentification idea is divided into two stages: the first being that a boy must sever the emotional ties he possesses with the primary caregiver, especially the mother. The second stage is that he requires identifying with a male role model, especially the father. Psychoanalysts observe the father’s role in the identity of masculine as critical.
In contrast to Freud’s theory, Melanie Klein comments that is envy of the mother rather than rivalry with the father that impedes psychic alterations. Freud has left the boy’s and the mother’s relationship undeveloped. In disagreement to Freud, concerning his argument of oedipal; feelings in association to the father, she argues that the first signs seem to be in relation to the mother. Indeed, as analyzed by Simpson and Lewis (2008), the young boy is surrounded by presence of feminine all over his early childhood, and it is significant for him to break away and identify a world of men where he can build his roots of male identity. The central argument is that men want to escape from womanhood; however, there is the desire to be close to a woman.
Masculinity and femininity are biological reinforced and determined during childhood in opposition to Freud argument who believes that bodies and minds are designed through patterns of cultural power. It is assumed that the womb’s envy concept is a significant component in the male psyche. The development of male power is rooted in the womb’s fear. Besides boy’s envy of the breast of his mother, he also becomes envious of the womb and the power it give to build up life. As analyzed by Robinson (2000), the phallus saves men and provides a distraction from the womb envy. The concept of Klain in this idea of womb envy is significant to understand male misogyny. Boys envious of their mother have to agree that they can never have breasts or a womb as in girls. Unconscious womb-envy assists to illustrate the opposition between nature and culture. Men have t...