Blog 4

Blog 4: Beauty Cult & Men

• What are some benefits to boys and men of putting on the “tough guise”?

• I believe it is important for men to have a healthy sense of the “tough guise” in order to fulfill a part of the genetically inclined need to rescue, protect, and provide for someone in their lifetime. However, the “tough guise” has been misconstrued to type cast men to no longer be caring, protective, and provisional roles but to be tough, inconsiderate, insecure, and highly affected by social roles in society.

• When is it an effective and adaptive response, and when is it self-destructive and dangerous to others?

• Men and women both experience benefits from the positive healthy use of a “tough guise”; however, when the “tough guise” is used in the context of Jackson Katz film is where men, like women, get lost in societies opinions of beauty and live, breathe, and thrive on what outer results provide instead of inner satisfaction.

• Many people think the very concept of “gender issues” is synonymous with “women’s issues.”
o Talk about why this is so.
o Discuss how this misconception makes it difficult for many men, and women, to understand the gendered nature of men’s lives.

• Gender roles help to fulfill life efficiently and with some form of definition. Gender is not meant to keep humanity within certain perimeters but to allow the division of labor more effectively and efficiently. Some gender issues can be debilitating for those stuck within the norm of having things black and white. However, learning gender roles is not an issue we decide to learn for ourselves but something we learn by social conditioning.

• What are some of the potential effects on boys and men of trying to live up to our culture’s ideal of physical size and strength?
o Emotional Effects?
o Health effects?

• I believe the social constructions are not healthy for both male and female. The societal ideal sets up unattainable goals of masculinity and image that is impossible to attain. However, the use of societal images and perceptions can be used to encourage someone to maintain health and healthy body image—as said by a male friend of mine in the fashion and film industry. I do believe an unhealthy perception, just like for females, can lead a life of anxiety and neurotic sentiments—unfulfilled life.

• What is the relationship between cultural ideals and male strength and steroid abuse?
o Do you feel that the media simply reflect changes in society, or do they in some way inspire change?
o If the former was the stereotypical size of the “masculine” male so much smaller in the past?
o If the latter, explain how and why you feel individuals are susceptible to media influence?

• From the readings in the Body Outlaws text I believe like stated earlier that the affects of media influence affected the individual in the texts, but I believe the effect depends on the health and stability of the individual.
  

• From the video, Greg decided steroids were his aid in achieving the body building supreme figure. However, he now suffers the consequences of loss of muscle, steroid side affects, and his accountability with the law. The media influence on males such as steroid use, athleticism, and body form can have a grave affect in the lives of friends and relatives. I had a former experience with a close male friend of mine having an eating disorder and being an NCAA star football player. My friend struggled with being 6’6 weighing 300lbs and the girl he dated being 5’5 and weighing at 130 lbs. He felt that he looked and was perceived as abnormal to everyone because he was tall and a muscular athlete. I kept explaining to my friend that as an active athlete he needed to eat the recommended three meals a day because his body used calories in excess compared to the average males body. My friend had become susceptible to the social body image of the average male size and the look. However, he was not this societal ideal image but much better he is intelligent, an amazing singer, and an all star athlete. It is interesting to see what current teens say about their body image, societal roles, and labels and we perceive all the issues.