Some institutions encourage the thought of gender difference and gender order. A primary example is the music industry, specifically rappers. More and more rappers are releasing music with lyrics that are demeaning to women. As said in the documentary, a majority of men objectify women. Unfortunately, this mindset has been embedded into many societies. Many women who have been victims of abuse or harassment are scared to open up because they feel as though no one will believe them. Susan Brison was attacked by a man and was not believed when she told other people what happened. They just told her she must have been hit by a car. With many institutions having this type of mindset, it seems as though the violent actions and objectification of women is being condoned instead of being condemned.
In Kimmel’s article, he goes into depth about plural masculinities. This term is used to demonstrate that different groups in society define masculinity differently. He prefers using this word since there is not one fixed definition that fits everyone’s beliefs. Kimmel’s four main arguments are: “masculinities vary across cultures” (1), “definitions of masculinity vary considerably in any one country over time” (1), “definitions of masculinity change over the course of a person’s life” (2), “the meanings of masculinity vary considerably within any given society at any one time.” (2) In the documentary, the cast members explain how in America’s society, men are raised to be the strong ones. They are taught that the only tolerable emotion to show is anger and trained to be the protectors of the family. Although most people do associate this to masculinity, Justin Baldoni and Lewis Howes express the importance of being able to open up and understand people. We see in their reflection that over time their perspectives of masculinity changes based on their past experiences and things they have witnessed.
Lovers and Fighters | Section 22 