Men can be a ‘problem’ for women’s studies in at least three ways: as objects of feminist scholarship, as students of feminist scholarship, and as agents of this scholarship. First, studying men is an established and desirable aspect of feminist research. But to what extent does the emergent literature on men and masculinities extend or undermine the insights of feminist theory? Second, what issues does male students’ participation in Women’s Studies classes raise for feminist pedagogy? Third, can men themselves produce and teach feminist theory? While “Men’s Studies” has failed to engage with the complexities of feminism, I argue that men can develop pro-feminist or anti-patriarchal knowledges. I explore these issues with reference to my qualitative research on young heterosexual men’s understandings and practices of safe and unsafe sex, and my experience as a student and teacher in Women’s Studies.
Articles
In this chapter, I argue first that the term “masculinity” is used in diverse and contradictory ways. I note three problems in these applications of “masculinity”: a slippage from norms concerning or discourses about men to the practices and relations of actual men, the reified representation of masculinity as a fixed character type, and difficulties in identifying multiple masculinities. Second, I argue that the designation “masculinity” and a related one, “hegemonic masculinity”, are employed to refer to cultural norms and ideals, powerful men and patriarchal authority, or both, and that such definitions are potentially at odds. Third, there are times when it is more useful to focus on men, men’s practices and relations. Finally, I acknowledge that neither category “masculinity” nor “men” can be taken as given, and I question the assumed link between masculinity and men.
Citation: Flood, M. “Between Men and Masculinity: An assessment of the term “masculinity” in recent scholarship on men.” Manning the Next Millennium: Studies in Masculinities. Ed. S. Pearce and V. Muller. Black Swan Press, 2002.
One of Australia's top athletes gives the inside gossip on being an all-male superhero.
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Sport plays a major part in shaping the nature of Australian men, aided and abetted by the way the media reports it. Greg Marston has the story. Australian sport is an institution of enormous significance, particularly in relation to the construction and maintenance of gender patterns. The culture of Australian sport perpetuates ideologies which systematically oppress women and certain groups of men. This process is not always immediately obvious. For instance, the mass media 'naturalises' domination as an inevitable consequence of the male athlete's superiority, skill and strength. The mass media's treatment of sport has contributed to idealising and institutionalising competition, domination, toughness and aggression as unquestionable and sacred masculine values. The combination of media and sport represents a powerful ideological and cultural force which deserves immediate and critical attention. |
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A sexist, violent culture exists in some sports, writes Michael Flood.
Originally published in The Sydney Morning Herald, 3 March 2004
The men who make obscene phone calls or harass women aren’t all wearing team colours, says Michael Flood.
Making boys anti-sexist will soon be on the curriculum of many school systems. "We can do even better," claims Nick Sellars.
Stephen Fisher assesses three approaches to boyswork. Please see below for the attachment, in PDF.
From boyhood comic books to soldier games to his dad's tales of combat, Tony Switzer recounts his path into the military.