Giulia Quattrociocchi Tuesday, March 26th, 2024
Michael S. Kimmel expresses through his text ‘Masculinity as Homophobia’, the way men are socialized into a limited definition of masculinity. Men are feared of being ridiculed for acting too feminine and must always watch the way they act around other men. This fear stays within themselves throughout their entire lives, anxious that other men will unmask their identity and they will be revealed for who they really are. Why does the fear of emasculation play a big part in consuming the minds of the men? The documentary ‘Charlottesville: Race and Terror’ defines masculinity, using violence. Males are initiating fights and are killing individuals. Men are behaving in certain ways to fit in. Is society reinforcing these societal standards on men?
Men are criticized through racism with the expectations that our society is reinforcing on them. ‘We are afraid to let other men see that fear’, (page 147), is a form of racism as the men are frightened to be ridiculed. They are masking their identities to fit in, and they are not accepted for who they are, and this is racial discrimination towards them. These young men are constantly monitoring themselves and ensuring they are not acting feminine, not to be mocked, shown in the passage ‘What we wear. How we talk. How we walk. What we eat. Every mannerism, every movement contains a coded gender language’, (page 148). Why are these stereotypes put into place when they can give the wrong perception of an individual? In the documentary, racism is showed when groups of minorities are hated. The riots were organized by Nazi groups and the Jews as well as individuals with different skin colours were mocked. Individuals part of the minority groups was injured, and amongst three were murdered by cars. All these innocent people are being discriminated for looking a certain way or acting a different way. Personally, in elementary school, I was bullied and mocked at in grade two. This experience has stuck by me and made me feel unworthy of myself. Nobody should ever go through these harmful experiences.
Masculinity and feminism work against each other by oppressing one another. Kimmel is a feminist, who wants fairness for both genders. Masculinists figures do not believe in equality and believe they are superior to females, which is where the behaviour becomes unequal and sexist. Homosexuals are outcasted by sexist attitudes and labelled differently, shown in the passage ‘Masculinity has become a relentless test by which we prove to other men, to women, and ultimately to ourselves, that we have successfully mastered that part.’, (page 150). Males want to dominant and empowerment over women, stating ‘Manhood is equated with power over women, over other men.’, (page 149). These men are raised entitled to this power and believe the power they hold, the more dominant and manly they become. In the documentary, there is a lock of gender diversity showing that man is overpowering the women. The males were violent and screaming which are behaviours to prove their power and dominance. The treatment towards the minority protestors was reported as harassments and aggression which is sexist in a form of discrimination. Christopher Cantwell, a white nationalist, speaking part in the riot as an intimidating and dominant individual. Unequal rights between genders restricts individuals from opportunities. How should society redefine masculinity stereotypes leading to sexism?
Homophobic individuals are sexist, as homophobia goes beyond the criticism the man will face, but the feelings they will be left with, ‘Homophobia is more than the irrational fear of gay men, more than the fear that we might be perceived as gay.’, (Kimmel 147). Homophobia discriminates homophobic individuals and humiliates them. ‘Maybe today is best to not wear these shorts’, (Kimmel 148), showing how he did not want to wear pink and lavender shorts because the topic of the class was homophobia and he feared being ridiculed. In the documentary, many of the protesting groups such as the Nazis and the white nationalists oppress individuals of different genders. The homophobic individuals formed violent rallies towards all individuals who did not agree with the beliefs of the whites. Homophobia is the mocking towards individuals of different genders, by discriminating against people who do not obey societal norms.
To conclude, racism, sexism and homophobia connect the concepts of masculinity and power in society. After analyzing all three key aspects, individuals are affected by these actions. To prevent these events from happening, the school system as well as the government should step into place to reduce the number of males affected.
Bibliography:
Kimmel, Michael. Masculinity as Homophobia. 1994.
Charlottesville: Race and Terror. YouTube, Vice News, 14 Aug. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P54sP0Nlngg&t=5s. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022. Inside
Incel, CBC, The Fifth Estate, 27 Jan. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqWjCHPg9gA. Accessed 25 Sept. 2023.
James, Will, Online Influencers, Toxic Masculinity, and the Classroom, Vanier College, March 5, 2024
Fight Clubs/Night Clubs 
You demonstrate some understanding of Kimmel’s concept of masculinity as homophobia, but further clarification and depth in your explanation would be beneficial. Also, be careful not to conflate racism with the fear of emasculation; while related, they are distinct issues that Kimmel addresses in different contexts. consider revisiting Will James’ talk to more accurately reflect his points on toxic masculinity and its impact in the classroom. It appears you have not included specific insights from Will James’ presentation; incorporating his perspective would enrich your analysis.
Your analysis of racism and sexism in relation to masculinity is a good start, but deeper critical thinking is needed to explore the complexities of these issues. Consider how the fear of emasculation contributes to the behaviors seen in the documentaries and relate this back to Kimmel’s concept of masculinity as homophobia.
You reference the required readings and documentaries, which is good, but aim to integrate them more seamlessly into your analysis. You don’t seem to use Inside Incel at all. Regardless, when citing Kimmel or the documentaries, ensure your interpretation aligns with the original context and message.
Your thesis statement is not clearly articulated; consider revising it to directly address how the documentaries reflect Kimmel’s ideas on masculinity and homophobia. Use specific examples from the documentaries to support your analysis; this will strengthen the connection between your thesis and the evidence you present.
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