A crisis of masculinity? Don’t worry, it’s nothing new

Masculinity- having the qualities suitable for a man

Manhood- manliness, qualities associated with men

1. According to Rivers, the crisis of masculinity is nothing new, and that it was not borne out of women’s movement or economic downsizing or urban life

2. The crisis of masculinity is as American as apple pie.

3. Natty Bumpo- deer slayer

4. Iroquois- north American (U.S.) native people

5. Every historical era- have been conflicted over the correct definition of manhood. Whatever it was, people were sure that men didn’t have enough of it.

6. Historical Overview

甲、 Late 19th century- men were focused on expansion (conquering the West and other lands), Cut down trees, and move elsewhere if things didn’t work out where he was

乙、 Industrialization and the great migration from farm to city- changed men’s relation to their work

丙、 By 1910, less than 1/3 were self-employed, Manhood was vanishing as men worked in factories. Cities represented female’s domestication efforts

丁、 The Boy Scouts were founded in 1911- men worried that boys spend too much time around women and Teddy Roosevelt’s hypermasculinity campaign- Rough Riders look. It’s not what Rough riders represent, but the anxiety about what men were, or ought to be

戊、 World War 1 represented another crisis for the male image. Nearly half of the male recruits did not qualify for military service

己、 19th and 20th centuries, male were having trouble meeting male demands

庚、 Political democracy and immigration reduced the idea of American manhood

辛、 1950s- men were turned into robotized organization men in gray flannel suits

Consequences:

Men start to look back to past male-warrior ideology and stories when men were men

Gender roles were renegotiated

Notion of fatherhood changed

Both sexes worried about what was happening to men

Fact