Masculinity

Hegemonic Masculinity

• Concept crucial to critical masculinities studies, formulated by Raewyn Connell.

• Historically misinterpreted; retains focus on legitimation of unequal gender relations.

Initial Formulation (Connell, 1987, 1995)

• Hegemonic masculinity legitimizes unequal gender relations (men vs. women, masculinity vs. femininity).

• Relational; constructed in relation to subordinated masculinities and emphasized femininity.

• Constructs a power hierarchy that requires cultural consent and embodies masculine power.

• Gender relations viewed as historically structured and subject to change.

Types of Masculinity

• Hegemonic Masculinity: Dominant form legitimizing inequality.

• Complicit Masculinity: Benefits from inequality but does not embody hegemonic traits.

• Subordinate Masculinity: Deviates from hegemonic norms (e.g., effeminate men).

• Marginalized Masculinity: Discriminated due to class, race, etc.

• Protest Masculinity: Response to powerlessness through hypermasculinity.

Early Misunderstandings

• Critics misinterpreted hegemonic masculinity focusing on discrete individual traits rather than relational dynamics.

• Misconceptions about its application resulted in fixed views instead of recognizing its fluidity and historical context.

Reformulation (Connell & Messerschmidt, 2005)

• Retained relational nature and emphasized hegemony over simple domination.

• Considered intersectionality with other inequalities (e.g., class, race, sexuality).

• Encouraged empirical analysis at local, regional, and global levels.

Amplification of the Concept

• Some scholars maintain misconceptions, equating hegemonic masculinity with fixed traits or specific male groups.

• Distinction between 'hegemonic' and 'dominant' masculinities emphasized.

• Recent research confirms omnipresence of hegemonic masculinities across settings and calls for understanding their complex, hidden nature.

• Gender hegemony continues to obscure inequalities while permeating social structures and actions.