Decline of Patriarchy
Decline of Patriarchy
In the traditional patriarchal system, males are the primary authoritative figure in society. Fathers control the home, and men control the institutions. Gender hierarchy inhibits female dominance over male because it makes women subordinate to men. This power is exerted in forms of masculinity. Masculine men are emotionless, strong, aggressive, competitive, and independent. They are able to show dominance over women because subordinate women contrast from these characteristics. In modern day however, male dominance is becoming less and less prevalent in society. Media including television shows, movies, and magazines, has begun to create a more womanlike, emotional masculinity. It is less emasculating than it used to be to act in stereotypically feminine ways. Women are objectifying men almost as much as men are objectify women. Having traits that are not stereotypically masculine has become an acceptable life for a man, creating uniformity between the two genders. The feminization of men in media is creating equality amongst men and women because it is empowering women to eradicate the traditional patriarchal structure.
Putting men on display is opening the opportunity for women to judge and objectify men. As Bordo says in her article “Beauty (Re)discovers the Male Body,” “It is feminine to be on display” (135). Being put on display takes away a person’s freedom. It takes away the ability to be oneself, and welcomes self-consciousness, inferiority, and pain; all are very unmanly traits. In every issue of “Cosmopolitan,” the girls guide to everything, a Stud Meter ranks male celebrities from hot to not. On this month’s Stud Meter, Liam Hemsworth takes the top spot for his role in the new movie The Hunger Games, while Ben Affleck ranks at the bottom for his dorky bowl cut and dolphin tattoo. While entertaining to all of its readers, ranking men like this is emasculating the male gender. This judgment is going against societal norms that say
In the traditional patriarchal system, males are the primary authoritative figure in society. Fathers control the home, and men control the institutions. Gender hierarchy inhibits female dominance over male because it makes women subordinate to men. This power is exerted in forms of masculinity. Masculine men are emotionless, strong, aggressive, competitive, and independent. They are able to show dominance over women because subordinate women contrast from these characteristics. In modern day however, male dominance is becoming less and less prevalent in society. Media including television shows, movies, and magazines, has begun to create a more womanlike, emotional masculinity. It is less emasculating than it used to be to act in stereotypically feminine ways. Women are objectifying men almost as much as men are objectify women. Having traits that are not stereotypically masculine has become an acceptable life for a man, creating uniformity between the two genders. The feminization of men in media is creating equality amongst men and women because it is empowering women to eradicate the traditional patriarchal structure.
Putting men on display is opening the opportunity for women to judge and objectify men. As Bordo says in her article “Beauty (Re)discovers the Male Body,” “It is feminine to be on display” (135). Being put on display takes away a person’s freedom. It takes away the ability to be oneself, and welcomes self-consciousness, inferiority, and pain; all are very unmanly traits. In every issue of “Cosmopolitan,” the girls guide to everything, a Stud Meter ranks male celebrities from hot to not. On this month’s Stud Meter, Liam Hemsworth takes the top spot for his role in the new movie The Hunger Games, while Ben Affleck ranks at the bottom for his dorky bowl cut and dolphin tattoo. While entertaining to all of its readers, ranking men like this is emasculating the male gender. This judgment is going against societal norms that say
Cited: Bordo, Susan. “Beauty (Re)discovers the Male Body.” Ways of Reading: An Anthology for Writers. Eds. David Bartholemew, Anthony Petrosky. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 131-181. Print.