Bathroom Masculinity

As I began thinking about this blog entry, I remembered something I saw posted on the wall of a bathroom in my residence hall. The flier called “The Poop Scoop” featured an article entitled “The Epitome of Manliness continued: The Man Beast.” The article basically narrowed manliness down to two traits: strength and determination.

Strength, as a fundamental canon of manliness, implies that a man must be able to protect his woman and children. In the article examples of how to be manlier are given: “Spear tackle a large moose, rhinoceros, or Kodiak bear,” the picture adjacent to the article is of Arnold Schwarzenegger, with no shirt on and muscles rippling, holding a baby doll. The picture, in contrast with the rest of the article, suggests that there is more to being a man than brute strength.

Another manly attribute expressed in the article is determination. While the article only represents the physical aspect of determination, “Run up Slayter Hill carrying a large boulder while screaming out your own personal war cry,” it also suggests some other mental attribute that leads men to be more determined in other areas. Whether as a provider, caretaker or whatever task a man sets himself to doing, the superseding characteristic is that a man will accomplish his goals and with vigor.

While a reader found in a men’s restroom may not be the best resource for the tenets of masculinity, it does offer some insight into how the average male believes men should be defined. Although the article is riddled with dry satire, it suggests that there is more to being a man than the traits discussed. Being a man in the metaphorical sense is not something that an outward observer can readily tell.