Forced Masculinity

Forced masculinity more times than not, is toxic.  From “Feminine Masculinity” by Judith Halberstein of our Anthology reads, “Masculinity in this society inevitably conjures up notions of power and legitimacy and privilege; it often symbolically refers to the power of the state and to uneven distributions of wealth.. Masculinity represents the power of inheritance, the consequences of the traffic in women, and the promise of social change.” Recently, I watched the documentary, The Mask You Live In by Jennifer Seibel Newsome. The documentary deals with the harsh reality of masculinity in America. The documentary lays out for us the effect forced masculinity on young boys can have on society emphasizing on violence, dominance, and sexual aggression.

As early as infancy, the documentary revealed that boys are often conditioned to hide emotions and refrain from talking about their feelings. As they grow older, they’re taught to prove their masculinity in whatever way possible. Joe Ehrmann, a retired NFL player and tenacious advocate for societal challenges said boys often hear, “Don’t cry, if you’re hurt, hold it in, go for the triple and not the double, be dominate; in control, use violence to solve problems, don’t back down, and be a man”. Being taught these harsh principles from the beginning can have serious effects on boys as they grow into adults.

 While this has nothing to do with being "sexist", there are statistics involving masculinity that are alarming. According to the documentary, 35% of men revealed that they would rape an individual if they wouldn't get caught and 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted by a male in her lifetime as 99% of all rapes are by men. While 90% of homicides are committed by males, 50% occur by individuals under 25 years old and 94% of all mass shootings are by men with the youngest being only 11 years old.

While watching 12 Years a Slave, I was, like most, disgusted with the sexual harassment and rape of Patsey by her owner. Rape is typically about power than it is sexual pleasure. According to my Reading for Social Justice textbook, "Manhood is equated with power- power over women." With Edwin in his position of power over Patsey, I’ve decided to use my knowledge of forced masculinity to discuss his actions. Patsey is often referred by Erwin as, “The Queen of the Fields” as she brings in over 500lbs of cotton a day while the men she works next to struggle to bring in anything over 200lbs. I’ve learned in many of my Gender Studies classes that if someone is defying their set gender roles, they’ll be met with violence typically by men whether it be a feminine man or a masculine woman. Is it safe to say Patsey is a victim of Edwin’s power struggle? It was obvious through the way Edwin "admired" Patsey from afar that he was attracted to her but using his power to take advantage of her is a sure sign of his masculinity.