Blog 1: Masculinity Under Pressure (Guys Club vs Invincible)

In both “Guys Club: No Faggots, Bitches, or Pussies Allowed” and “Invincible,” we’re drawn into the internal battles of young men wrestling with the weight of societal expectations. They deal with the pressure to conform to a hyper-masculine ideal, where showing vulnerability is equated with weakness. This struggle is clearly portrayed as they navigate their own emotions and vulnerabilities while trying to fit into the classic society has cast for them. From suppressing emotions to avoiding anything perceived as weakness, the characters face an uphill battle against the relentless pressure to adhere to traditional notions of masculinity. In “Invincible,” this struggle is compounded by feelings of inadequacy and vulnerability, highlighting the toll that conforming to societal norms can take on one’s mental and emotional well-being. Through their experiences, both works offer a poignant reminder of the internal turmoil faced by young men as they strive to navigate the complex world of masculinity.

In both stories, we see how the characters’ expressions of masculinity are closely in link with the responses of the people and institutions surrounding them. In Gomez’s text, he illustrates how masculinity is expressed externally when he faces peer groups and societal norms that determine what forms of masculine behavior are deemed acceptable. For example, Gomez recounts how his aunt refused to paint his nails; initially, she explained calmly that painted nails is something reserved for girls only, and when he insisted, she scolded him for it. As such, the text immediately begins with Gomez recounting his early memories of gendered socialization and indoctrination of social norms relating to his gender. Similarly, in Invincible, the main character Mark’s interactions with his father, coach, and peers highlight the influence of traditional notions of masculinity. These interactions result in the characters’ suppression of emotions and how they prioritize physical strength over emotional well-being which shows the impact of external pressures on shaping individual expressions of masculinity. For example, during one scene, Mark, unable to cope with his feelings, turns to rebellion to express his growing frustrations as he decides to set off the fire alarm and enable the sprinklers. 

In both Guys Club: No Faggots, Bitches, or Pussies Allowed and Invincible, the characters’ interactions with people and institutions are playing a significant role in underlining their perceptions of masculinity and influencing their reactions and responses to events they face. In Guys Club, the main character is exploring and learning about the definition of man. He faces toxic stereotypes from his colleagues and gets called names that he does not yet understand because he displayed behavior and traits that are associated with femininity. He is in an environment where vulnerability is seen as weakness. Similarly in Invincible, Mark’s interaction with his family, friends in centre de jeunesse, and authority figures influence him a lot. While he displays empathy and compassion for those experiencing difficulties such as the child in the Centre that was struggling with planting a tree, he also displays a lot of aggression and rebellion towards authority. He is very hot-headed and strong-willed which leads to those in authority such as the coach to respond to him in a harsh way such as canceling all his privileges. Nevertheless, Mark still rebels and causes chaos in the Centre. He behaves in a way that rejects social norms imposed on him. In this way, both texts present different ways that men respond to social pressure; in Boys Club, Gomez struggles with feelings of inferiority and weakness associated with a lack of masculinity while Mark struggles with the desire for freedom that manifests in potentially harmful and dangerous displays of strength.

I was honestly captivated by both pieces as they both bring up issues that young men face on a daily basis; difficulties with self-discovery in a society that imposes norms and restricts one’s freedom to express themselves authentically and the difficulties with expressing one’s emotions when it comes to these issues. Reading the story and watching the film forced me to confront my own understanding of masculinity and the ways in which societal norms have dictated it. It made me evaluate how I can relate to the characters, particularly as I am a 17 year old post-adult who also happens to be the eldest amongst my siblings. Social norms are imposed on everyone everywhere, however, I noticed that unlike the two characters, I do not question these norms often. In other words, I feel that I often follow these social rules; I do what they expect me to do, I follow what they expect me to follow and I work they way they expect me to. Because of this, both Gomez’s text and the movie Invincible offer a hopeful message of resilience, freedom, and self-discovery. These stories have pushed me to think further and encouraged me to challenge my preconceived notions about masculinity and what it means to be a man. Specifically, it encouraged me to be a moderate person, to follow certain norms whilst still following my own personal ambitions and embracing freedom. The most important thing I learned from both of these works is that following our desires and ambitions is right as long as we are not harming individuals around us. I also realized that friends, family, and society all play a major role in how we shape our identities and make it difficult for one to think or behave out of the box. However, both works also showed the importance of doing that because they showed how social norms are not fixed; they are constantly changing and evolving and it is up to us to reject social norms that are harmful. For example, society often punishes and ridicules men for displaying emotions, however, men are human like everyone and deserve to express themselves in order to grow and evolve in a healthy way. Because of this, it is important to reject the idea that showing emotions is a sign of weakness as it is up to us as a society to help shape the social norms for the future generations.

Yamen El-Sbayti