Masculinity and Violence

As children, we are socialized through the interactions we have with institutions like our families, schools, peer groups and the media. We have to conform to the social constructs of our assigned sex. Males and females are expected to fulfill the gendered social roles and attributes imposed upon them by society. Traditionally males are expected to have a dominant, stoic and rational character which is vastly different from the submissive, passive and irrational female. At a young age, males are given guns as toys and the media depicts violence as fun, through Action movies and Video games, where the classic example of manhood is hegemonic. They are inundated with images of macho characters who are adorned with wealth, have beautiful submissive females by their side and resort to violence when their masculinity is threatened. Males are forced to compare themselves to this unrealistic and attainable example of manhood.

All this pressure to fulfill unattainable ideals and other political, institutional and social struggles that males have to endure only increases their inner turmoil. Males are not socialized to be expressive and the continued inadequacies felt from not meeting these socially constructed standards, leads to violence and aggression. Aggression and violence is usually the only releases available to males who feel stress from failure to live up to the idealized characteristics of masculinity.

From a young age it is vital to reduce the risk factors that men may be exposed to. Some of these may include exposure to violence in the home and media. A poor family functioning unit and poor behavior control can later manifest into a violent and aggressive character. It is also important to seek services to address exposure to trauma and stress. These risk factors are usually not addressed because social norms condone male dominance and violence. Many males face a crisis in masculinity with the ‘evolution’ of hegemonic masculinity and the equality of the sexes.

Men have been raised to be the dominant sex to their submissive female partners. They feel further inadequate when their role as provider is threatened. This could lead to the adoption of violence as a control measure.

Masculine violence is really an expression of power to reinforce a loss of masculinity.