Affirming Masculinity: Enhancing Sustainable Development
“Love and compassion are
necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.”- Dalai Lama
There seems to be an increase in the number of murder/suicide being perpetuated by males in the society. The inability of men to live up to the unrealistic expectations and definitions of how a man is supposed to be oftentimes lead many men down a road of gender humiliation. We continue to do a disservice to our boys when we subscribe and continue to socialize our males along gendered lines. As a result of this process of gender socialization many males are ill-equipped with the social skill sets necessary for them to handle relational challenges, which undoubtedly we all face. The fear of rejection is real and some persons handle this better than others. Disturbingly, those who are primarily tasked with the socialization of our males choose to perpetuate a system of hypermasculinity, which we mistakenly view as the ideal of manhood and masculinity. As a society and even in the wider global context we tend to frown upon those males who are in touch with their emotions. We ascribe negative and dehumanizing labels to such males, labels such as nerds, weak, sissy, and “man-to” and celebrate those males who are on the opposite end of the masculinity spectrum, and who display aggression. As a result this leaves many men between a rock and a hard place as they contemplate which strand of masculinity they should ascribe too in a society which patriarchy is alive and well. It bares thought that the indicators of masculinity and manhood such as the smoking of marijuana, alcohol drinking, the use of curse words and being sexually irresponsible have all contributed in shaping a toxic brand of masculinity. Additionally, popular culture has also played and continues to play a significant role in redefining the state of manhood in the society. Recently, a friend shared with me that his teenage son told him that he does not wish to hear anything from him. I dare say his dad was only trying to keep him on the straight and narrow path; sadly, the young man has now gotten himself in trouble with the law. The influence of our peers, as well as those individuals our youngsters hold up as role models determine to a great extent the path they will take. Regardless of the path one takes in life there are bound to be consequences. The society is still in a state of disbelief regarding recent incident in which a mother and her teenage daughter were allegedly killed by the mother’s common law husband. The news reported that the male in question then drove his car into the Rio Cobre River and killed himself. A few days later the society woke up to the troubling news that a female police officer was allegedly killed by her husband in the Kingston 20 area. The incidents have been appearing with such frequency that one can hardly keep count. It is evident that our men are not coping. Is it also clear that we do not have adequate State services for men to avail themselves in order to get help. One can argue that due to the historical disadvantage of our females most societies have been focusing on girls and women issues and this is commendable, however, we now know that we cannot choose one gender over the order in order to have gender balance and help to diffuse the current system. Our male folks are hurting. The time has come for the society to pay some attention to issues affecting our boys and men. Men are socialized from early that it’s unmanly to talk about our business. There needs to be a concerted effort to change this narrative. This tough image of manhood results in many men internalizing their struggles, fears, and problems. Some men of course will turn to alcohol and unfortunately violence in order to soothe away or escape from their problems. We need to be reminded that masculinity and manhood are evolving and as a result of this process of development there are multiple masculinities or self-representations of manhood. According to Professor of Psychology Irene Fast’s Gender Differentiation Theory, boys and girls differentiate themselves from one another as “masculine” or “feminine” in ways that correspond to societal models that may have little to do with actual biological difference. It is evident that there are various representations of manhood and masculinity in spite of the hegemonic view of maleness which most societies have in place.
Fostering Sustainable Development
The tendency is for us speak of discrimination solely in terms of females. However, gender discrimination also impacts and affects men. Males are discriminated against in many ways. Many believe that not enough resources are made available by the State to provide and scaffold our boys and men. Gender equality is not only about issues affecting women and girls, however, by our actions that is the message we tend to convey. Gender equality speaks to the gaps or challenges both men and women face in both the private and public sphere. The issues of male underachievement and male-under-participation at various levels of the education system are foremost in this discourse regarding bridging the inequalities males face. We continue to turn a blind eye to the practical needs of boys and men. The society by its unwillingness or perhaps inability to address men’s needs have developed a sub group of men which are most vulnerable. The society is paying a heavy price for the continuous neglect over the years of our boys and men. Undoubtedly, much more effort and resources are needed in raising awareness of domestic violence. Too many women suffer in silence in the privacy of their homes; men also are both victims of intimate partner violence. There are no excuses for any man who takes the life of his spouse or significant others. The society needs to examine the state of gender relations and family and then make an informed decision surrounding the way forward in enhancing humanity. The time has come for us to challenge our men to speak about their problems in order to find other solutions. As much as men are responsible for some of the hurt and pain men too are hurting. There are too many misconceptions relating to manhood. The society needs a new wave of male advocacy and activism to dispel such myths. The same manner in which we cannot have men creating policies that will impact women in isolation, we need to create a culture in which more men are employed as gender specialists in State agencies such as the Bureau of Gender Affairs to develop policies aimed at gender and development. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) defines development as a process of enlarging people’s choices, increasing their opportunities for education, healthcare, income and employment and covering the full range of human choices from a sound physical environment to economic and political freedoms. In light of this definition it is plain that development is a holistic approach encompassing both males and females. The time is right for the Jamaican society to engage all the subgroups in a conversation as it relates to domestic violence. There is a need for honesty as we try to forge a way to enhance sustainable development. Clearly, this path cannot condone male bashing which has become increasingly common in the public sphere. Is it fair to place all men in the same category? Why the sweeping generalizations aimed at belittling men and masculinity? We need to move away from this sub-culture emerging regarding male bashing. This is rather counterproductive and does very little if anything at all to enhance gender relations and create a more harmonious society. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #5 speaks to gender equality. The United Nations states that gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. The journey along the masculinity track is rather complex with numerous rest stops. In order to achieve gender equality the society must account for the various masculinities. It is rather befitting that I draw on the powerful words of Desmond Tutu when he says “my humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.”
Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
There seems to be an increase in the number of murder/suicide being perpetuated by males in the society. The inability of men to live up to the unrealistic expectations and definitions of how a man is supposed to be oftentimes lead many men down a road of gender humiliation. We continue to do a disservice to our boys when we subscribe and continue to socialize our males along gendered lines. As a result of this process of gender socialization many males are ill-equipped with the social skill sets necessary for them to handle relational challenges, which undoubtedly we all face. The fear of rejection is real and some persons handle this better than others. Disturbingly, those who are primarily tasked with the socialization of our males choose to perpetuate a system of hypermasculinity, which we mistakenly view as the ideal of manhood and masculinity. As a society and even in the wider global context we tend to frown upon those males who are in touch with their emotions. We ascribe negative and dehumanizing labels to such males, labels such as nerds, weak, sissy, and “man-to” and celebrate those males who are on the opposite end of the masculinity spectrum, and who display aggression. As a result this leaves many men between a rock and a hard place as they contemplate which strand of masculinity they should ascribe too in a society which patriarchy is alive and well. It bares thought that the indicators of masculinity and manhood such as the smoking of marijuana, alcohol drinking, the use of curse words and being sexually irresponsible have all contributed in shaping a toxic brand of masculinity. Additionally, popular culture has also played and continues to play a significant role in redefining the state of manhood in the society. Recently, a friend shared with me that his teenage son told him that he does not wish to hear anything from him. I dare say his dad was only trying to keep him on the straight and narrow path; sadly, the young man has now gotten himself in trouble with the law. The influence of our peers, as well as those individuals our youngsters hold up as role models determine to a great extent the path they will take. Regardless of the path one takes in life there are bound to be consequences. The society is still in a state of disbelief regarding recent incident in which a mother and her teenage daughter were allegedly killed by the mother’s common law husband. The news reported that the male in question then drove his car into the Rio Cobre River and killed himself. A few days later the society woke up to the troubling news that a female police officer was allegedly killed by her husband in the Kingston 20 area. The incidents have been appearing with such frequency that one can hardly keep count. It is evident that our men are not coping. Is it also clear that we do not have adequate State services for men to avail themselves in order to get help. One can argue that due to the historical disadvantage of our females most societies have been focusing on girls and women issues and this is commendable, however, we now know that we cannot choose one gender over the order in order to have gender balance and help to diffuse the current system. Our male folks are hurting. The time has come for the society to pay some attention to issues affecting our boys and men. Men are socialized from early that it’s unmanly to talk about our business. There needs to be a concerted effort to change this narrative. This tough image of manhood results in many men internalizing their struggles, fears, and problems. Some men of course will turn to alcohol and unfortunately violence in order to soothe away or escape from their problems. We need to be reminded that masculinity and manhood are evolving and as a result of this process of development there are multiple masculinities or self-representations of manhood. According to Professor of Psychology Irene Fast’s Gender Differentiation Theory, boys and girls differentiate themselves from one another as “masculine” or “feminine” in ways that correspond to societal models that may have little to do with actual biological difference. It is evident that there are various representations of manhood and masculinity in spite of the hegemonic view of maleness which most societies have in place.
Fostering Sustainable Development
The tendency is for us speak of discrimination solely in terms of females. However, gender discrimination also impacts and affects men. Males are discriminated against in many ways. Many believe that not enough resources are made available by the State to provide and scaffold our boys and men. Gender equality is not only about issues affecting women and girls, however, by our actions that is the message we tend to convey. Gender equality speaks to the gaps or challenges both men and women face in both the private and public sphere. The issues of male underachievement and male-under-participation at various levels of the education system are foremost in this discourse regarding bridging the inequalities males face. We continue to turn a blind eye to the practical needs of boys and men. The society by its unwillingness or perhaps inability to address men’s needs have developed a sub group of men which are most vulnerable. The society is paying a heavy price for the continuous neglect over the years of our boys and men. Undoubtedly, much more effort and resources are needed in raising awareness of domestic violence. Too many women suffer in silence in the privacy of their homes; men also are both victims of intimate partner violence. There are no excuses for any man who takes the life of his spouse or significant others. The society needs to examine the state of gender relations and family and then make an informed decision surrounding the way forward in enhancing humanity. The time has come for us to challenge our men to speak about their problems in order to find other solutions. As much as men are responsible for some of the hurt and pain men too are hurting. There are too many misconceptions relating to manhood. The society needs a new wave of male advocacy and activism to dispel such myths. The same manner in which we cannot have men creating policies that will impact women in isolation, we need to create a culture in which more men are employed as gender specialists in State agencies such as the Bureau of Gender Affairs to develop policies aimed at gender and development. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) defines development as a process of enlarging people’s choices, increasing their opportunities for education, healthcare, income and employment and covering the full range of human choices from a sound physical environment to economic and political freedoms. In light of this definition it is plain that development is a holistic approach encompassing both males and females. The time is right for the Jamaican society to engage all the subgroups in a conversation as it relates to domestic violence. There is a need for honesty as we try to forge a way to enhance sustainable development. Clearly, this path cannot condone male bashing which has become increasingly common in the public sphere. Is it fair to place all men in the same category? Why the sweeping generalizations aimed at belittling men and masculinity? We need to move away from this sub-culture emerging regarding male bashing. This is rather counterproductive and does very little if anything at all to enhance gender relations and create a more harmonious society. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #5 speaks to gender equality. The United Nations states that gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. The journey along the masculinity track is rather complex with numerous rest stops. In order to achieve gender equality the society must account for the various masculinities. It is rather befitting that I draw on the powerful words of Desmond Tutu when he says “my humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.”
Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
©
#masculinity
#manhood #compassion #love #sustainabledevelopment #humanity #socialization
#culture #patriarchy #matrifocal #family
#genderequality #development #boyhood #norms
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