What is it?
Definition:
Masculinity is a set of characteristics and behaviours that are associated with men, boys and male bodies. Masculinity is socially constructed and varies across time and place.
In our society, we have loosely defined masculinity by being more competitive, having control, strength, aggression, power, decision-making and having and communicating fewer emotions.
Definition (from oxford languages):
Qualities or attributes regarded as characteristics of men or boys.
Definition (from ScienceDirect):
A socially constructed concept characterized by traits such as self-sufficiency, physical strength, and emotional toughness
Overview of gender norms
The four types of masculinity
**hegemonic: **ruling or dominant in a political or social context.
**subordinate: **(dominant) ideal in a social hierarchy, often characterized by traits opposite to traditional masculine norms, such as physical weakness, emotional vulnerability, or non-heterosexual orientation
**complicit: **referring to men who do not embody the dominant, "hegemonic" ideal of masculinity, such as extreme strength, aggression, or high-level corporate dominance
**marginalized: **refers to forms of male identity that are considered subordinate or less valued within the broader, dominant gender order, often shaped by intersecting factors like race, class, or sexuality rather than just gender alone
History
Timeline!
Pre 1900s
- Boys and men were expected to be physically strong and do hard labor
- Showing emotions, like crying, were seen as weak
- Men were the head of the household
- Traditions of hierarchy 
1900s-1920s
- War expectations
1960s a lot of the depictions of masculinity in this era where informed by the counter culture at the time was showing how you can defy the shackles of traditional social norms
1980s masculinity shifts very much to a macho man mindset. With some historical context of the time, we see the Cold War reach its climax
1990s how do you reconcile masculinity and modernity, reflected in films like.q what does masculinity look like in the informational age and modern office culture.
2000s we saw the “Hard edge” of masculinity, very ridged and sharp in masculine, seen in shows like suits, and breaking bad, Mad Men. In more modern times, we see a lack of this visions of masculinity that wasn’t just rooted in physical strength or ambition, success and dominance. all of this matter because it means that young men are gravitating towards a vision of masculinity that is, by definition, never going to be fully obtainable.
2010-2026:
in the modern world we see a shift in the way masculinity is viewed