I am not qualified to speak about this topic academically. I greatly look forward to comments from my comrades who are far more qualified to address this topic. Nonetheless, as a socialist and fledgling male feminist who lives in a “traditional” family in the Deep South not far from where President Trump recently campaigned for Roy Moore, I want to say a few words about the plague that is “masculinity.”
Let me begin by stating two caveats, each of which could be a topic of its own. First, in the real world where we all live, sexual predation and harassment knows no sectarian boundaries. Catholic priests, Baptist ministers, Communist Party general secretaries, U.S. presidents, senators and representatives, local prosecutors, Hollywood producers, you name it, all can be predators and harassers and must be called out for it, regardless of party or other affiliation. There is no room in any socialism worthy of the name to not have full equality and liberation from any and all forms of predation and harassment.
Second, I put “masculinity” in quotes because I am focused on a pathological ethos, not about true individual traits. I am not suggesting that we all cannot be ourselves in terms of how we dress, talk, etc. If you happen to be a male and truly want to wear hunting clothes, pump iron, listen to country music, or do other activities that do not harm others because that is what you want to do, go for it. But none of this is inherently male, and it should be needless to say, another male, or a female or transgender person, should be free to do or not do the same without opprobrium. People can enjoy being together celebrating the human spirit, tapping into the richness of cultural energy, and that’s alright with me. I don’t, for instance, think we have to micromanage Bruce Springsteen’s heartfelt lyrics.
A few thoughts about “masculinity”
I am personally done with being “masculine.” It has held me back since I was a teenager. It has left me giving the appearance of toughness when I am actually silently standing by and watching the vulnerable oppressed. I am done being embarrassed that my speaking voice is rather high and maybe I am not walking “manly” enough. I am done flaunting invulnerability and confidence I may not have and reacting to the normal indignities of life as if they are an affront to my “masculinity.” I do not want to approach anyone I love or who loves me, or the world in general, as a knockoff “masculine” archetype but as myself, doing my best to love others.
This does not mean that I will turn away from the face of injustice. Quite the opposite.
When one goes to the dictionary about masculinity, one sees the grotesque “traditional” assumption that strength and boldness are the province of men:
adjective
1.
pertaining to or characteristic of a man or men:
masculine attire.
2.
having qualities traditionally ascribed to men, as strength and boldness.
3.
Grammar. noting or pertaining to the gender of Latin, Greek,German, French, Spanish, Hebrew, etc., which has among itsmembers most nouns referring to males, as well as other nouns, asSpanish dedo, “finger,” German Bleistift, “pencil.”.
noun, Grammar.
6.
a noun or other element in or marking that gender.
The person with ALS who recently confronted Senator Jeff Flake on a plane happened to be male, but this was not the prerequisite to his strength and boldness. thehill.com/… In fact, if he had stopped to think “What would a ‘real man’ do in this moment?,” he probably would have kept his mouth shut as too many so-called “real men” do in the presence of power and authority. “Real men” are often major suck-ups. We don’t need “real men” who are not really being real, any more than we need women and transgender persons suppressing their own strength and boldness.
Socialist Chicagoan Judith Kegan Gardiner wrote an excellent piece a few years ago entitled “The Blackhawks, Masculinity Studies and Socialism.” (www.dsausa.org/...). I wish I had been exposed to this thinking when I was young.
Although masculinity scholars investigate men’s treatment of women, a major strength of masculinity studies is its analyses of relationships among men, particularly the overlapping hierarchies based on race, sexuality and social class that distribute power and prestige unequally. The concept of hegemonic masculinity, popularized by Australian sociologist Raewyn Connell, describes a norm that is also an ideal by which many, if not most, men are judged – and judge themselves – as inadequate. Key strengths of masculinity studies are its analyses of relationships among men and of internalized pressures in male psychology, like homophobia, as men anxiously police themselves and their peers to avoid fears of appearing gay or effeminate.
The strength and boldness of Persons of Color, women, and LGBTQs being themselves against prejudicial stares and much worse, and their willingness to speak the truth to power against all odds, far surpasses any strength and boldness I have ever seen from any white heterosexual male elected official. I have far more in common with them than any “masculine” archetype engrained into my head as a youth.
I do not recommend that you do this, but anyone with a computer can quickly find countless disgusting right wing articles and comments oozing misogyny and homophobia. Interestingly, they often also quickly show that males who are socialists are typecast as physically weak or effeminate.
A couple weeks ago, a study bubbled up through the muck of the The Red Pill subreddit: “Physically Weak Men More Likely to be Socialists (Unless They’re Poor),” the Redditor posted, next to a tag that says “Science” and, for good measure, a picture of an atom.
“Lifting doesn’t just make you stronger and fitter, it also makes you less of a cuck,” the Redditor proclaimed, using a term coined by the men’s rights movement to signify a spineless beta male.
The study was also fodder for right-wing bloggers, some of whom wrote it up with the natural corollary: “strong men more likely to be capitalist.”
Sure, if you’re a free-market enthusiast, it may be satisfying to think of men who tweet “Bernie would have won” as wimpy weaklings. But is it true?
www.theatlantic.com/...
I was a Bernie supporter who happened to be male. After the primary, I worked hard for Hillary Clinton. I wish she had won. I do not believe that the “Bernie Bro” attack was at all fair. I condemn any person who was sexist toward Secretary Clinton. But I also do not spend my time arguing with sincere Clinton friends that “Bernie would have won.” I do not know what would have happened. More importantly, we desperately need to work together in a positive way going forward. Again, I so wish Clinton had won and become our first woman president.
As a socialist in the U.S., especially in the fascist Deep South, I am highly likely to face prejudice if I am honest about my leftist political views. We cannot expect to be above the pain and suffering. (“First they came for the Communists ...” en.m.wikipedia.org/..) In this at least, an essential kinship rather than an essential difference arises. I have something in common with all those other workers of the world who are traditionally viewed as lacking in strength and boldness.
Workers of the world unite. Let us discard “masculinity.” It is holding us back, oppressing women, children, LGBTQs, and other men, and, through a culture of domination, ruining our one and only planet. Our commonality supersedes our differences.
P.S. Ironically, a few hours after I wrote this piece early this morning, my Episcopal priest asked me if I would be a co-leader of our parish’s newly forming chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew (www.brothersandrew.net/...). I said yes, as long as I don’t have to be “the guy.” This will be my chance to explore whether I can be a non-“masculine,” feminist-socialist while helping to organize a wide-ranging local group of men in providing service to others. Might be interesting, might do some good, and I take it on faith that I won’t be the first person of my views to try something like this. Not far from where the Donald spoke this past Friday, the resistance continues in ever-changing ways. I may request this song be sung at some point.