Michael Kimmel wrote in his paper on “Masculinity” that, “institutions accomplish the creation of gender differences and the reproduction of gender order through several gendered processes.”(Kimmel 3). In this statement, Kimmel is explaining how institutions such as the workplace or schools have gender bias built into them which unintentionally assigns certain work positions to a specific gender, presumably male. As we saw in “Man Enough”, men are often expected to fit a specific mold. Whether it’s playing hard sports or achieving highly valued careers, in each case, men are contributing equally in maintaining what is known as the “man box”. With the expectation to conform, men often override their true feeling of “right” or “wrong” in order to feel included, or at least not excluded… The constant fear of feeling uncomfortable is what allows gender order and inequality to be so persistent.
In his conclusion, Kimmel uses the term “masculinities”, implying that there is no exact definition to qualify a man, and that as Don Zimmerman argued, “a person’s gender is not simply an aspect of what one is, but more fundamentally, it is something that one does”(Kimmel 5). Adding on to this, a man cannot be qualified by his gender, but rather by his actions. Kimmel used this term in order to broaden the idea of a man, and to help see stoicism as a simple trait, rather than a must. Relating back to the fourth episode of “man enough”, this quote seems to summarize the hope that all men at the table shared when their discussion was coming to an end. The fact that a simple discussion between a group of socialized men led to such a deep understanding of the issue can only bring us hope. As Michael Kimmel said, “this opens up the unimaginable possibilities of social change.
Lovers and Fighters | Section 22 