How Alternative Masculinity Types Fit Inside the Strict World of Hegemonic Masculinity

Schimmel/Conrades Science Center 176

The project sought to understand how understand how masculinity has historically been defined, and to then explore how alternative definitions of masculinity fit within the traditional definition. To begin, the historical definition of masculinity first had to be defined. In doing this, research was done to understand how masculinity had traditionally been defined, and was compared to the understanding of what it meant to be "masculine". Based on the research done, the traditional standards of masculinity were categorized within the construct of hegemonic masculinity, an illusion that male identifying people measure themselves against, but rarely ever achieve. Once the traditional definition was identified and studied, research on the forms of masculinity that rebelled against this standard were explored. These rebellious forms of masculinity were called "alternative masculinity". In doing this, four major types of alternative masculinity were researched. These four types were: fluid masculinity, changing military masculinity, transgender masculinity, and female masculinity. When studying fluid masculinity, research was done on the BDSM community and how the varying dominant and submissive roles of the participants were impacting the roles of masculinity. When researching the changing of military masculinity, research was done to compare how men in the military have traditionally behaved, and compared to how military men are now behaving. In researching transgender masculinity, research was done on how the professional experiences transgender men altered based on when they identified as female versus when they identified as male. Lastly, when doing research on female masculinity, research was done on the "butch" identifying woman.