Blog 1 : Men in Society

The role gender plays have been an extremely important part of society. Masculinity and the people who participate in it have been the leaders of our societies since the beginning of mankind. To be able to play the role of masculinity is much more complicated than it seems. It is not just being born a man or identifying as man. It is a certain set of points on a checklist. The further you are from being feminine the better. This has been harmful to the young boys growing up, who may not explore their true interest or be afraid to show their true selves, in fear of being different.  The fear of being labelled a “faggot” and the negative stereotypes that come with it. 

In “Man up: Cracking the Code of Modern Manhood” by Carlos Andres Gomez. He explores many of his own life experiences and their relation to manhood. A major focus is the aspect of being gay and the stigma around it. Despite the author not being a person who sees their sexual orientation as gay. He was curious and questioning his sexuality at one point. Often time when men or boys show interest in traditionally feminine things it seen as a sign the ones gay. While being gay is normal and fine, some view as a weakness of these men. From name calling to even threats of violence. It makes many men feel guilty to even experiment with their sexuality. But as displayed on his trip to Zambia illustrated. What defines being ok in masculinity can change depending on the culture you are in. In reference to seeing men hold hands in Zambia “It was so stranger for me to see two muscular, maybe even superhomophobic guys with their pinky fingers interlinked walking down the street” (Gomez). 

In the short film “Invincible” by Vincent Rene-Lortie. We watched the final few hours of the life of the 14-year-old named Marc. At the prime age of going from boyhood to becoming a man. Marc is a troubled kid. He is in a juvenile detention center, but he does have weekend releases where he spends time with his family. Both environments are extremely different. You would just have to view how they are shot. When he is with his family, it feels warm and open, with a prominent orange color to it. As opposed to the very cold and closed off environment of the detention center. The scenes in the detention are quick and intense. In an interaction with one of his friends at the center. They talk about a new kid who cried all weekend. In a way insulting the kid for being too emotional and implying that he is weak. Despite it being perfectly normal for a young child to be emotional after being separated from their family. It’s a common aspect of masculinity, the idea that as man, no matter even if you are still a boy, that you shouldn’t feel any type of sadness. It is also seen in our previously mentioned story where the author says, “Growing up, my friends and I would always to each other to stop being a bitch or a pussy anytime someone showed weakness or vulnerability” (Gomez). We can see this in Marc too during a scene in the classroom. When Luc, a member of the administration, reads Marc’s writing. A highly emotional text that was written by him, something that a “true man” would not do. The scene itself is quiet. Compared to the liveliness from when the others read out their text. Throughout the time spent in juvenile center, Marc often feels out of place. He is an odd one out and like men who do not conform to the traditional roles of masculinity. He struggles to find his place, which pushes him to end his own life. 

To conclude, these stories attempt to show the negative consequence of the role of masculinity that is placed on boys. Forcing them to grow up too quickly in a way that might not be them. Leaving them to fight their mental struggles alone.