Tenets Of Masculinity Essay

As students, we face the choice of companionship or ostracization. Accepting (or not accepting) social norms alters people’s perception of us and, consequently, the interactions we have with them. For men, abiding by these norms is complicated by masculinity. Known informally as “guy code”, these unwritten rules are “carefully monitored by the self-appointed gender police, ensuring that everyone constantly complies with ... [it] - even if they don't want to” (Kimmel 98). Because of this, boys are socialized through masculinity; that is, masculinity outlines the ideal characteristics and specific behaviors that boys must learn, adapt to, and embody to become “ideal men”. The sex-role identity and role strains perspectives outline the negative effects of socialization by masculinity. This paper discusses the four tenets of masculinity, examines current perspectives, and details the consequences of using masculinity as a tool for socialization.

Andrew Smiler defines masculinity using the “Big Four”. The first two principles - “don’t be a sissy” and “be a big wheel” - center around male value in society and the categorical rejection of the feminine. “Don’t be a
With the precondition that traditional male roles are socially desirable, the “sex-role identity perspectives” target the difficulty men have upholding the standards of masculinity. On the other hand, role strain views are neutral to the desirability of masculinity; instead, role strain theorists target the disconnect between traditional and modern male roles. Despite these differences, however, proponents from both perspectives argue that socialization by masculinity is harmful for boys. The rest of the paper discuss these perspectives on masculinity and argues against the way masculinity influences the socialization of