Dear Male Population of the Younger
Generation,
Masculinity
has changed and evolved as we have changed and have evolved as humans.
Masculinity is not defined as it used to be. There are a lot of ideals still
out there that were around in the fifties. Things like how most of the time the
male needed to act like a male by doing things such as: playing sports, driving
and working on fast and loud cars, and going to work. Looking years back, women
were usually the stay at home moms, and were supposed to be seen and not heard,
and were always expected to have dinner on the table when the husband came
home. As we move on, these things have changed greatly. Masculinity just is not the same as it
used to be.
Today
a lot of men are perceived as “feminine” males. Being stay at home dads, being
very “fashionable” and liking clothes, and even men who like other men. Back in
the day this was definitely not acceptable, but our society has grown and
evolved to accept this into our society. The stereotype of being “masculine”
just is not as prominent as it used to be around fifty years ago. In today’s
day you don’t have to be car smart, you do not have to get a “MANS” job, you
can be into your clothes, you can stay at home as a father, and you don’t
necessarily have to make the money of the house hold.
A
lot of this has to do with the power that most women have today. Fifty years
ago women were barley aloud to go outside, let alone get jobs, fend for them
selves, and even be thought about as a huge member of society. Men were the
rulers and that’s just the way it was. Most women were looked down upon, almost
as if they didn’t even exist, they were just there to please the males and not
say a word. This has changed in an extreme way; Women now have a great amount
of power. A lot of women are very independent, being treated just as equal as
men, which is the way it should be. Being a male growing up in this time period
I have a lot of respect for women and couldn’t imagine it any other way, and if
I were in a position like that I would not want to be treated like a lesser
class or even as a lesser value.
As Salam states, “the era of male dominance is coming to an end”(629).
He is saying that men are losing their power and have been losing their power
for years. Women are starting to come into control, and the way of living is
changing. We see this is today’s society how the males are becoming more of the
“stay at home moms” and the women are going to work, to make a living for the
family. I believe that this is a good thing, women deserve the chance to be
powerful and be in control. This doesn’t mean males are losing power doesn’t
mean we are going to get into a bad position. It just means that it is okay to
be a feminine male and have masculine women in our society.
Growing
up I was always taught to be a “MAN”. I was taught to take out the garbage when
I was told, mow the lawn, be able to work on my car, and have a good tough job
that I could support a family. Having divorced parents there was a twist to
this being a “MAN” stereotype. Being at my fathers a lot I always got that be a
man speech; especially from my grandfather and there was no ifs, ands, or buts
about how I was suppose to act and be the man. While I spent time at my mom’s
house she would inform me that it was okay to be somewhat feminine if I really
wanted to. I was torn between what the two of them were teaching me at the
time, but as I grew up I found a good place in the middle. I knew that there
were times I had to be the “MAN” but on the other hand there were times I could
sit back and do the things I wanted to do, even if it weren’t the most
masculine thing a typical man would do. That is just what today’s society has
come to be.
Sometimes
it was weird for me to grow up and see guys around me that were growing up to
be these feminine males that loved clothes, loved to shop, and sometimes were
one of the girls. This is what is hard for the older generation to grasp,
because when they were growing up this was in no way acceptable and definitely
not okay to be like. A lot of the older generation does not accept the way
things have changed, and it is very hard for them to change the ways that they
have grown up knowing. Some have adapted to the new ways, but it is a great
challenge to overcome and move on from what they were taught and were use to
believing.
Masculinity
simply just is not the same as what it used to be, you do not have to be the
main support of your wife, she can support you and that is an okay thing in
today’s society. Men can be a stay at home father and that is just fine. Knowing where we came from and who we
are can make people a lot more comfortable in the feelings they are. Men don’t
have to feel like they have huge shoes to fill they can make their own life and
be the person they want to be. This helps us understand where we have come
from, who and what we are. Ultimately, this helps us understand the differences
we have and how we can overcome them.
I do believe that although this is directed towards males’ females can
greatly benefit from this as well. Make them feel like they are welcomed in
this society as well as the “feminine” male.
Sincerely,
Jerry Bayless
Works Cited
"The
New Masculinity" states, "the new
masculinity is a combination of, on the one hand, “old-school” values such as
honor, loyalty and hard work and, on the other hand, a more contemporary set of
beliefs about gender roles at a time when they are changing both at home and on
the job". This is saying that what used to be the roles of a male are
still there in some sense, but over time has faded in the old-school hard core
values. I agree with what this article is stating because the values have
defiantly changed and aren't anywhere close to when my father grew up and me
growing up in this generation.
Read more: http://www.askmen.com/entertainment/austin_500/510_the-new-masculinity.html#ixzz2Cc7aAr2Z
Salam,
Reihan. The Death of Macho. New York: Bedford, 2010. Print.
The Death of Macho talk
about how "the era of male domination has been coming to an end". The
power has been shifting from men to women and more than 80% of jobs that have
been lost have been male jobs that have been replaced with women. the time of
women is here and the time that men aren't in control is here.
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