Talk:Masculinity in Films

I really enjoy your topic. I agree with a previous comment about how images would support your page tremendously. I also think that the part where you say that masculinity spiked post 9/11 was very interesting- I never actually thought of that! But I think that you could use maybe some comparison examples to back up that statement, like "this was what it was like before" vs "this is what it was like post 9/11" kind of thing. Great job!

Thank you for your article.

I really enjoyed reading your topic and it was very interesting. The one thing that I suggest is adding pictures. Since I saw some of classmates effectively used the pictures and videos, they actually made my eyes more fun. Also, maybe if you can use more specific examples of the films, that would be awesome if you would like..

Thank you for the hard work!

I found your article interesting! I was expecting to see more about masculinity in film with regards to sex, and the portrayals of masculinity with regards to sex. Perhaps find an article that discuss sexual portrayals of masculinity in film, with some direct examples!

This is a great topic, and I think there is a lot to be said about masculinity in films today. I really enjoyed reading it and I think that your wiki is well set up. While reading however I did start to think about the idea of masculinity in other forms of media, including picture media (magazine etc) and plays and theatre. It would be super interesting to look at the differences (or similarities, as I suspect there are more of those) between how masculinity is portrayed in film, and in magazines for example. Is one form of entertainment moving towards a less masculine form of expression faster than the other? Why or why not?

I thought your topic was such a good choice as it demonstrates something so relevant in todays society, you must be masculine to be a man. The bigger, the stronger, the more 'masculine' you are, the more manly you are. This misconception leads to what reinforces stereotypes that we see in society today. Children grow up seeing a man as being this hyper-masculine figure we see in pop culture. Someone I always think of when i think of masculinity in film is Dwayne the 'Rock" Johnson. He is the epitome of a masculine figure, but he really puts on a masculine act. For someone as big and buff as him, one look and he is assumed to be masculine, but when he fights of flexes or does anything remotely 'manly' he goes from being a man to a hyper-masculinized figure. Did you consider putting in a section regarding masculinity as an act to be perceived as more manly, particularly when looking at masculinity in films where these individuals are actors?

This was a wonderful choice to focus on, because it seems that despite people's efforts to create more dynamic and less toxic male characters, there isn't as much headway as one might like to see. It would be very interesting to see how specifically this portrayal of masculinity effects what you call "today's society". Are you referencing the global political climate, military worship, social media presence, or something else?

Great topic! I was just wondering if the code that was passed in the 1930s was a law or some sort of Hollywood hearsay code that everyone abided to? Interesting either way

I found really your wiki post really interesting!

While you have a section about masculinity in Hollywood, I think it would be also super interesting if you had a section on Male masculinity in Asian films! Growing up in Asian countries and observing different films, I can definitely say there are roles of "masculinity" that are portrayed and is specific to Asian films. Also, it would be interesting if you had a section of female roles vs. Masculinity in Asian films as well! For example, while there are Hollywood films such as Wonder Woman, where the female is the main role in which is strong with super powers, we do not see much of these in Asian films.

I really like this choice of topic! I think that people often forget that feminism isn't only for women - that the aim of feminism is equality in all genders, going as far as to eradicate toxic masculinity. I also think it's super important to highlight the fact that media, a medium which we are exposed to every day, plays a big role in the way that men express themselves. If males don't have healthy male role models in media to look up to, we cannot expect them to be healthy role models themselves.

Great subject matter!

I enjoyed reading this posting and would like to point out that there are a lot of things to consider when analyzing this particular topic of masculinity. While I believe that the social representation of masculinity in media outlets such as film may contribute on some level to how men in society should or do act, it would be foolish to disregard the biological influences that contribute to such behaviors or representations. Masculinity and femininity are both very important traits of humans and a balanced mixture of both on different levels in men and women is an optimal solution. The suppression of either trait is unhealthy for the development of the individual as well as society because it contradicts our biological constructs. Males and females have different levels of different hormones that contribute to the development of different traits inherent to each sex. For example, the fact that more females are likely to attempt suicide than males, but more males are likely to succeed in such an endeavor is a representation of the higher levels of masculinity in males (on average) that contributes to higher levels on aggression. This can hardly be attributed to the social constructs of masculinity represented in the media. I do agree that media outlets do play a role and contribute to the image of masculinity that society portrays, however it is important not to overlook the contributions of other factors.

A good topic! I liked that you covered some history on masculinity in film, as well as describing the origins and meaning of the Stoic man archetype. Your analysis of hyper-masculinity vs. films showing more effeminate men is quite compelling. I feel as though your page could be improved upon by adding in some photos - especially from the films you mentioned. I also think you should focus your analysis a bit more so it's clear. As I'm reading your page I'm associating your perceptions with white, straight men however perceptions of masculinity can be vert different for people of a different ethnicity or sexual orientation.

I think you did a really great job of beginning an defining the terms surrounding masculinity such as hyper masculinity. To enhance your description, it may be beneficial to add photos of what the typical masculine man looks like?

Also, I really liked the categories and subtitles you chose to include. Perhaps to further add, a different cultural perspective could be valuable to create contrast. (for example masculinity in Asia may look different than North American).

Lastly, although seemingly evident for many GRSJ and SOCI students, maybe adding something about disney movies and how those instil masculine/binary values from young age could be a good little tangent!

Great topic! I think it is really important to criticize the media that we all consume because like you wrote when the same and distinct messages are constantly being presented, the viewers will internalize these messages and hold them as true. You explain how the media constantly reproduces the archetypal male figure and one form of masculinity (not multi-dimensional) but I think it might be important to add a section of why the media does this. I think the media portrays masculinity in the way that it does because 1. it is simply a norm and what we are familiar with but secondly because displaying the archetypal male character is profitable (people buy into this stereotype). Maybe you could analyze a bit about why this depiction of masculinity is profitable?

A great resource to consider as you may begin analyzing this idea is the documentary "The Mask You Live In". This documentary explains the phenomenon of toxic/hyper-masculinity, how it is produced and reproduced (media being one of them), and the consequences of this. It is available on Netflix!

Great post!