Do You Measure Up?

In today's society being male comes with certain expectations and when these expectations are not meet a males masculinity is questioned. The media is one of the main sources that creates these expectations. As a female, I have viewed masculinity as being strong and stoic when it comes to expressing emotion. However, I am beginning to realize that these qualities are not necessarily what defines a mans masculinity.

Wrestling, sports, and beer advertisements are all designed to appeal to mostly men. This creates for the stereotype that all men should be interested in these kinds of things. Although this may not necessarily be the case the media create the stigma that if a man does not like these kinds of things then he is not "manly." Also, If women are into sports and things that are mostly considered to be for men they are considered to be tomboys.

In order to fit these expectations men sometimes do things to establish their masculinity, even if this means doing things that are not true to their character. They over exaggerate what people think is "manly" so they will not appear to be feminine. Men who do not fit these expectations are often made fun of and considered to be feminine. This is why men work so hard to establish their masculinity so they will be accepted. Even simple things like haircuts and they way men greet each other boils down to upholding a certain degree of what is considered masculine. In America it is uncommon to see two men greet each other by kissing and hugging, instead they greet with a handshake. Also, when men grow their hair long they masculinity is questioned unless they compensate by being overly masculine in other areas of their life.

Being a female I often view the concept of masculinity as a struggle. Often times when women try to do things that are normally considered masculine, they are criticized. Things such as being a sports enthusiast or even wanting to play sports that are usually male dominating can be challenging. This is why most women shy away from doing these types of things because they do not want to appear as being too masculine. Although, society is becoming a little more lenient with accepting those who venture away from what is usually considered masculine, there are still many stigmas when it comes to not following these expectations.