In “Masculinity” by Michael Kimmel, he mentions in the third page that institutions create gender differences and have gender procedures. A really interesting point made by the author is that while acquiring a PhD, for example, the system is made around the biological clock of a man. It takes years for you to obtain this degree and its time frame coincides with the age women “should” be having kids. The system is catering to a person who would work uninterrupted for their education no matter what the age. It’s just automatically assumed that a woman would take the time in her late 20s or early 30s to be having a child and staying at home whereas a man would be capable to leave and continue working toward a higher degree in his education. Though this point is never specifically brought up in the episode of “Man Enough”, they do talk about how they were oblivious to these types of social issues before being more aware of the world around them. The men were discussing that to change the current inequalities between men and women, all people need to be aware of the disparities for a change to occur. This issue of institutions being gendered will not change until both men and women work together for there to actually be a difference and equality.
Kimmel uses the term “masculinities” versus the singular masculinity. He does this because he believes there is more than one definition of the word. Depending on where you are in the world and what society you live in, masculinity will be different. The author says that by acknowledging the box men are put in and understanding the imposed definitions of masculinities, we will be able to see change. The same is said with the men in the episode of “Man Enough”. The men all discuss how they are trying to point to the flaws in society’s impositions on men and try to teach their sons and the viewers differently. By having men start a healthy discussion on these issues, there will slowly but surely be change.
Lovers and Fighters | Section 22 