Recently, there has been increasing discussion of the concept of ‘new masculinities’ and it’s a frequent topic in the media and on social media. But do you know exactly what the term refers to and what it entails in terms of achieving the equality Is there a real difference between women and men? I’ll tell you more
What do we mean by ‘being masculine’?
Gender identity is shaped by actions that have become normalised within a person’s social context and which are regarded as essential and biological rather than social. These socialisation processes reinforce and underpin a system of preconceived notions about what it means to be a man and being a woman, and these factors shape the way we behave, feel and think.
Masculinity is, therefore, a historical and cultural construct comprising a set of practices, behaviours, values and roles that each society naturally attributes to men, characterised by qualities such as virility and strength, and other elements centred on the privilege of power and the denial of emotional expression (Rodríguez, 2021).
Hegemonic masculinity is a concept that was created
It was the sociologist R.W. Connell who developed the concept of hegemonic masculinity in the 1980s, and it has been the subject of extensive debate ever since.
From the perspective of gender studies, it is understood as a social category and an organisation of meanings and norms that constitute a series of social discourses defining the masculine gender. It forms one of the two categories in the generic definition of people and refers to what it means to be, and not to be, a man.
Whilst it is true that there are views which speak of different versions of this masculinity, from the individual’s point of view, there is only one that dominates the the construction of masculine identity. It is a symbolic – arbitrary – construct, comprising a set of myths, beliefs and meanings relating to what it means to be a man, which tells us what an ‘authentic’ man should be like (Burín and Meler, 2000).
When we talk about traditional masculinity or hegemonic masculinity, we are referring to values, stereotypes, myths, behaviours and conduct that are characteristic of men within a particular social context.
In this regard, androcentrism underpins a traditional concept of masculinity that places men at the centre of social, political, cultural and economic life, and confines women to the private sphere for reproductive and caregiving roles.
Men for equality?
At an individual level, many men claim that they share household chores and the care of children or dependants, or that their salary is no higher than their partner’s, but at a global level, the gap wage disparities, the feminisation of care work or gender-based violence show that there are structural differences are very striking and that legal equality is not reflected in reality.
There appears to be a shift away from the traditional model of masculinity, but the social structure underpinning it has not changed substantially. Women are increasingly demanding equality, but most men have not kept pace with these demands. This is what is known as complicit masculinity; men who consider themselves feminists but who continue to repeat patterns that perpetuate the inequality faced by women without questioning them.
New masculinities: the most powerful threat to patriarchy
There is increasing talk of ‘new masculinities’, and this is closely linked to the gender equality, as it challenges the prevailing gender stereotypes that are assigned to us from the moment we are born.
The new masculinities Egalitarian masculinities are a way of being a man based on equality and respect, not only towards others but also towards oneself. To achieve this, it is necessary to rethink the traditional role of masculinity, to unlearn it and to seek other ways of being and of relating to others from a position of equality:
- New masculinities advocate for to establish relationships based on equality being aware of the privileges that come with being a man in today’s society.
- They are also looking for to break away from all those socially ingrained ideas that link masculinity with strength and competitiveness, to make way for weakness and fear.
- New ways of being a man involve eliminating aggression and violence in all their forms, as well as sexist comments and expressions.
- They are committed to breaking away from gender roles learned through traditional means and to dispel the notion that men do not cry, do not show their vulnerabilities or are not carers.
For legal equality to take shape and become a reality, a social transformation is needed that involves a change in the way we feel, think and present ourselves. But this change must not only be personal but also structural: at the political, economic and institutional levels, and we must recognise that the patriarchal system harms not only men but also half of humanity: women.
