Is there a Gay Masculinity ?
Who gets to decide what makes a man……A MAN ? In American culture, gay men are usually dominated by straight men because gay men always seem to be feminized by society since they do not fit into the strict hegemonic masculinity. Hegemonic masculinity is the belief that there exists a dominant cultural normative ideal of the male behavior and identity (McCann and Kim 239). Well at least from my perspective, men are socialized at a young age to fit into these strict gender norms and abide by societal gendered expectations. But as soon as a person steps outside of those expectations and boundaries, they get labeled as “the other” especially gay men because they are then feminized. I can remember being told at a young age “boys don’t dance, that’s only for girls” or “don’t talk like that, you sound so feminine”. I definitely did not fit into the dominant hegemonic masculinity, so then where do I or gay men in general fit in ? I wouldn’t say I’m completely feminine or completely masculine, then where does that put me. R.W. Connell states “Gay masculinity is the most conspicuous, but it is not only subordinated masculinity. Some heterosexual men and boys too are expelled from the circle of legitimacy” (McCann and Kim 238). R.W. Connell, a theorist on the construction of masculinity believes that there is a gay masculinity, she believes there are multiple masculinities because the dominant masculinity is so limiting that there are even straight men that don’t fit into the dominant masculinity. Although I would like to think that there is not a division in masculinity between gay men and straight men, there are obvious privileges that straight men receive over gay men in society. Whether I fit into masculinity or not or whether I even have a masculinity, I think it’s important to remember that masculinity/feminity are socially constructed labels, Labels shouldn’t define people in the first place because they are so limiting. Don’t let it define you, Whether you believe in fitting into the masculine/ feminine role or you say ”FUCK THE GENDER BINARY”, Remember to just do you !
Who gets to decide what makes a man……A MAN ? In American culture, gay men are usually dominated by straight men because gay men always seem to be feminized by society since they do not fit into the strict hegemonic masculinity. Hegemonic masculinity is the belief that there exists a dominant cultural normative ideal of the male behavior and identity (McCann and Kim 239). Well at least from my perspective, men are socialized at a young age to fit into these strict gender norms and abide by societal gendered expectations. But as soon as a person steps outside of those expectations and boundaries, they get labeled as “the other” especially gay men because they are then feminized. I can remember being told at a young age “boys don’t dance, that’s only for girls” or “don’t talk like that, you sound so feminine”. I definitely did not fit into the dominant hegemonic masculinity, so then where do I or gay men in general fit in ? I wouldn’t say I’m completely feminine or completely masculine, then where does that put me. R.W. Connell states “Gay masculinity is the most conspicuous, but it is not only subordinated masculinity. Some heterosexual men and boys too are expelled from the circle of legitimacy” (McCann and Kim 238). R.W. Connell, a theorist on the construction of masculinity believes that there is a gay masculinity, she believes there are multiple masculinities because the dominant masculinity is so limiting that there are even straight men that don’t fit into the dominant masculinity. Although I would like to think that there is not a division in masculinity between gay men and straight men, there are obvious privileges that straight men receive over gay men in society. Whether I fit into masculinity or not or whether I even have a masculinity, I think it’s important to remember that masculinity/feminity are socially constructed labels, Labels shouldn’t define people in the first place because they are so limiting. Don’t let it define you, Whether you believe in fitting into the masculine/ feminine role or you say ”FUCK THE GENDER BINARY”, Remember to just do you !
McCann, Carole R., and Seung-kyung Kim, eds. Feminist Theory Reader: Local and Global Perspectives. 2nd ed. London ; New York: Routledge, 2010. Print.
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