Defining Masculinity

This is an interesting topic to assign to a short journal entry, considering there are entire branches of psychology dedicated to just this idea. This idea of masculinity is inherently difficult to describe, because, like culture itself, the concept of masculinity is fluid and changes based on countless factors. We several in class, such as age, location, and socio-economic background. One's view of masculinity is also as diverse as the population. With divorce rates as high as they currently are which translates into large amounts of single parent families, paternal role models are as likely to be the father as someone else, which means even more diversity in the development of these ideas that make up masculinity for both male and female children. The reason I bring up childhood development is because that is when most of us form our views based on those around us. These particular conceptions are some of the most difficult to break because since they are made at a young age, they are ingrained into our personality. Hence the current controversy over the general acceptance of homosexuality into our culture through various issues, including gay marriage. I think that now rather than past, people are starting to understand that being homosexual doesn't change the fact that you are still a human being with equal rights as the rest of us. In my generation, this instillation of fear about homosexuality has greatly faded and as we start rising to prominence, things will change for the better.