Dr. Sara DiazWGST 280: Gender, Sexuality, and Popular CultureGonzaga University

Violence & Hegemonic Masculinity

Hegemonic Masculinity

•Masculinity ≠ Men•Multiple kinds of masculinity•What is “hegemonic masculinity”?•What are it’s features?•How does whiteness shape

hegemonic masculinity?

What meanings are embedded in this image?

GRETA FRIEDMAN

“IT WASN’T MY CHOICE TO BE KISSED. THE GUY JUST CAME OVER AND GRABBED!”

“I DID NOT SEE HIM APPROACHING, AND BEFORE I KNEW IT, I WAS IN THIS VICE GRIP. [SIC]”

“YOU DON’T FORGET THIS GUY GRABBING YOU.”

“THAT MAN WAS VERY STRONG. I WASN’T KISSING HIM. HE WAS KISSING ME.”

A Moment Later …

Normalizing/Erasing Violence• Greta Friedman never made a complaint and did not think of

this encounter as assault (though it meets the legal definition).

• Why is such an image representative of romance, celebration?

• How do media erase or normalize masculine violence?

• What are the effects of hegemonic masculinity in real life?

Media Effects

• Political Discourse:• How does hegemonic masculinity shape talk radio?

• Advertising:• How are insecurities about masculinities exploited by

advertisers?• School Culture:• How does hegemonic masculinity shape social

interactions among adolescents?• How is school violence related to hegemonic

masculinity?