Masculinities and Femininities Flashcards
(5 cards)
Provide a definition of hegemonic masculinity according to Anderson and Connell. List and explain the main characteristics that Reeser suggests are essential to the definition.
Hegemonic masculinity is a systemic pattern that supports unequal gender relations by upholding the dominance of men over women. It is ingrained in society discretely through the imposition of the ideology. It offers ideals and values about how to be a man
Three primary characteristics: Not “natural”, but constructed by culture; Contestable and receptive to change, flexible/dynamic throughout history; directly related to women’s subordination by policing male behaviour and marginalizing women
Emily Martin offers three examples to explain how scientific language is gendered. Summarize the three examples.
Menstruation vs Sperm production, where menstruation is called wasteful
The egg is passive (transported) vs the sperm being active (transporting/swimming)
Egg delivery where the sperm rescues the egg
Explain the implications of using gendered language to describe scientific processes according to Emily Martin.
The imagery that the gendered language evokes reinforces old stereotypes about males and females. Linking these stereotypes to biological science grants them even more staying power by making them seem natural.
Gendered language encourages people to think of the sperm and egg cells as equivalent to a “human” couple. Whatever the actual stereotypes invoked by the descriptions, the humanization of these cells and the resulting fetus could cause a rise in legal restrictions on a woman’s right to her own body during a pregnancy in favor of the “person” growing inside her.
What is the misogyny paradox according to Anderson and Ward?
It is the idea that men need and desire women for many reasons, but also seek to oppress and hate them. They require women for emotional and masculinity validation because they can’t get that from other men.
What is an incel according to Anderson? How does hegemonic masculinity and feminism influence incel values
Someone who is “involuntary celibate”. Specifically men, who band together under the perceived notion that they are all undesirable. They form online communities, united because they think they are all unable to attract sexual and romantic partners. They are anti-feminist and believe in male supremacy. They both hate hegemonic masculinity because they believe they don’t fit, but they also establish an entire identity around not fitting.
