Augustin 1 Megan Augustin Hayman English 209 9 March 2011 Redefining Masculinity In the early 90s I was brought

into this world and was plopped into the nurturing arms of my father. My father quit his job to spend more time with me and he became a homemaker. That was by no means an easy feat. He was busy all day long cooking, cleaning and entertaining his three month old daughter. In the American traditional society my father was considered an outcast. His friends would jokingly tease him calling him Mr. Mom. Society was questioning his masculinity because of the fact that he was nurturing and worked in a female dominated field. Was he really acting feminine? Have these societal norms of masculinity changed? Has the media affected our view on masculinity? The current cultural definition of masculinity is defined by social norms; the established practices of a society rather than its written laws. Sharon R. Bird clearly defines these social mores in the study Welcome to the Mens Club: Homosociality and the Maintenance of Hegemonic Masculinity. Bird defines masculinity as emotional detachment, competitiveness and the sexual objectification of women. This definition of masculinity is most clearly viewed in heterosocial relationships Nonsexual attractions held by men (or women) for members of the other sex, and in homosocial relationships Nonsexual attractions held by men (or women) for members of their own sex (Bird 121). According to Bird, if men challenge masculinity they are, Denied

Augustin 2 legitimation as masculine. Also in a recent study that examined the influence of gender role transgressions on perceptions of men and womens social status, it was concluded that, Men are punished more harshly than women for deviating from traditional gender role norms (McCreary, Mahalik, and Sirin 119-132). The film I Love You, Man and the television show Scrubs display a variety of types of men including traditional masculine men and nontraditional masculine men. The more traditionally masculine men are portrayed negatively whereas the nontraditional masculine characters are portrayed positively. In the television series Scrubs, there are a variety of types of men. The main characters Peter Klaven and Syndey Fife from I Love You, Man, and the main characters Christopher Turk, and John Dorian contradict and challenge the traditional definition of masculinity by having emotional connections with men and women, being noncompetitive and by respecting women. First Bird defines masculinity as being emotionally detached from all situations, To express feelings is to reveal vulnerabilities and weakness; to withhold such expression is to maintain control (Bird 122). For men it is not considered a social norm or socially acceptable to express emotion because emotion is associated with weakness and femininity. As a result of this men are encouraged to internalize feelings and emotions to avoid being labeled as weak by peers. The homosocial relationship between Peter and Sydney completely differs from the definition of masculinity to internalize emotions. When Peter and Sydney were first getting to know each other they went to a bar to talk and hang out. Sydney tells Peter, Its something we think about on a second to second basis and yet we arent supposed to talk about it? (I Love You, Man). Sydney is encouraging Peter to share his feelings. Peter

Augustin 3 and Sydney share their feelings, thoughts and emotions with each other throughout the film and as a result had a very close emotional connection and friendship. This is considered very feminine because emotional detachment is associated with masculinity and emotional connections are considered feminine. Developing emotional types of relationships with each other is something men stereotypically do not do (Bird 126). Sydney and Peter hang out and go on man dates together and can express their emotions with each other without embarrassment, which contradicts the stereotypical male mantra. Sydney and Peter openly express their feelings about women, sex, and a variety of other things, which is extremely uncharacteristic of the definition for masculinity. In a clip from the sixth season of Scrubs, Dorian and Turk are singing a song about guy love openly in the hospital. Turk is encouraging Dorian to share his emotions through song. The homosocial relationship between Dorian and Turk is described as, Guy love, between two guys (My Musical). These two men have a very close emotional connection and friendship. This is considered very feminine because emotional detachment is associated with masculinity and emotional connections are considered feminine. This changes the definition of masculinity slightly because Turk is portrayed as a masculine character, but he embraces emotional connections, instead of getting over or hiding them (Bird 127). Second, Bird defines masculinity as being competitive. Competition with other men demonstrates male dominance and masculinity, To establish self as not female, young men seek out other men with whom to display non-femaleness, (Bird 127). Men prove that they are manly and masculine through competition. Men compete to prove that

Augustin 4 they are better than the other person and that they are higher ranked in the hierarchy of masculinity. In homosocial male groups men that choose not to compete are considered disadvantaged or weaker. Weakness and being disadvantaged are traits that are associated with femininity. A man risks a loss of status and self-esteem unless he competes (Bird 128). In the film, Peter attempts to participate in a drinking competition with his friend Barry. Peter looses horribly and is expelled from the homosocial male group. Instead of feeling disadvantaged and feminine Peter feels relieved that he no longer has to participate in these man games. Peter and Sydney create an environment that allows for no judgment or competition. They call this the man cave. Peter and Sydney appear to be much happier without the need of competition. They actually go to the man cave to escape the competitive natures of the people around them. Peter and Sydney contradict the definition of Masculinity according to Bird but they still appear masculine because they appear confident. Finally Bird defines masculinity as, sexual objectification of women. The objectification of women provides a base on which male superiority is maintained (Bird 123). In order to maintain this superiority men are expected to have less heterosocial relationships and are expected to have more homosocial relationships. Males are perceived positively when they have more friendships with men versus having friendships with women. This is because masculinity is defined as not feminine and the distinguishing line between feminine and masculine may become unclear when heterosocial friendships are made. According to Bird, it is viewed as a positive characteristic when men distance themselves From all that is associated with being

Augustin 5 female (Bird 123). The definition of masculinity views having female friends as a feminine trait. In order to avoid being feminine males try to avoid female friendships all together and they objectify women. The film, I Love You Man demonstrates the more that it is unacceptable for men to have friendships with women. Peter is a bit submissive and he's also been so invested in his relationships with the opposite sex that his male friends are more like acquaintances. Peter even asked himself the question, Why is it weird that I have girl friends? (I Love You, Man). Peter challenges the social more and expectations for males to have more homosocial friends. Peter also sees this as an inadequacy in himself so Peter attempts to get male friends. Throughout the film men are objectifying women by referring to them in negative ways. Peter however finds this revolting to treat women in a disrespectful degrading way. For example Peter refers to a woman as, Very nice looking, where as Sydney only states, Yeah, I fucked her (I Love You, Man). Sydneys disrespectful tone towards women is the more masculine response and is more socially acceptable. Peter acts offended to Sydneys comment, which is a more effeminate response to the situation and is viewed as less socially acceptable. However in the context of the film the more masculine characters are perceived more negatively. The television show, scrubs, changes that current cultural definition that it is unacceptable for men to have friendships with women. Turk has a solid relationship with his fianc Carla, and has a good relationship with his female friend Elliot. Turk has a negatively variety of homosocial and heterosocial relationships instead of only having homosocial relationships. In the clip, Turk and Elliot's Elaborate Handshake, Turk challenges the social more and expectations for males to have more homosocial friends.

Augustin 6 He does this by having a close heterosocial friendship with Elliot. Earlier in this episode Turk was very kind to Elliot and avoided a situation where other men in the hospital were commenting on Elliots Fine body (Turk and Elliot's Elaborate Handshake). This show redefines the idea that being masculine is objectifying women and men that do objectify women (Todd Quinlan) are perceived. The current cultural definition of masculinity: emotional detachment, competitiveness and the sexual objectification of women, is not complete. Peter attempts to change himself into this ideal man throughout the movie. It becomes obvious that just because a man differs from the common definition of masculinity does not mean that they are not masculine. The definition of masculinity has been deeply influenced by media and is even instilled in young children. The image of masculinity that the media portrays reinforces the social mores for masculinity and if men challenge Birds definition of masculinity then they are denied legitimation as masculine (Bird 127). My father like the characters in Scrubs and I Love You, Man, test the social norms and in the end received closer emotional attachments and a sense of equilibrium. In order to change the cultural definition of masculinity men must challenge the definition of masculinity even if there is the risk of being labeled as feminine. This definition for what a man is can no longer be the criteria for masculinity.

Augustin 7 Works Cit ed Bird, Sharon R. Welcome to the Mens Club: Homosociality and the Maintenance of Hegemonic Society. 10.2 (1996): 120-123. Print. I Love You, Man. Dir. John Hamburg, DreamWorks SKG. 2009. Film. McCreary, Donald, James, Mahalik, and Selcuk, Sirin. Differential Reactions to Men and Womens Gender Role Transgressions: Perceptions of Social Status, Sexual Orientation, and Value Dissimilarity. Journal of Mens Studies. 12.2 (2004): 119-132. Print. Turk and Elliot's Elaborate Handshake. Scrubs. ABC: 10/7/2001. Television. My Musical. Scrubs. ABC: 1/18/2007. Television