Hegemonic masculinity

In gender studies, hegemonic masculinity refers to the belief in the existence of a culturally normative ideal of male behavior. Hegemonic masculinity posits that society strongly encourages men to embody this kind of masculinity. Hegemonic masculinity is said to be marked by a tendency for the male to dominate other males and subordinate females. According to the theory's proponents, it is not necessarily the most prevalent form of male expression, but rather the most socially endorsed that always contributes to the subordinate position of women they perceive. Proponents point to characteristics such as aggressiveness, strength, drive, ambition, and self-reliance, which they argue are encouraged in males but discouraged in females in contemporary Western society, as evidence of the existence of hegemonic masculinity.

The theory has been criticized. Connell et al. state that its basic sources were "feminist theories of patriarchy and the related debates over the role of men in transforming patriarchy," and that "hegemonic masculinities can be constructed that do not correspond closely to the lives of any actual men." Wetherell et al. state that it "offers a vague and imprecise account of the social psychological reproduction of male identities." Other critics have stated that it is a derogatory portrayal of masculinity and male identity, and that taken as a stable construct of gender, the theory tends to ignore the instabilities of all masculinities.

A growing body of work is pointing toward the deleterious influence of hegemonic masculinity on men's willingness to seek help for health-related issues.

See also

• Gender studies
• Masculinity
• Social criticism