Growing up as part of the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and all others) community, my experiences have never aligned with multiple gay men. As such, the LGBTQ+ community has several notions and rituals that individuals can relate. Several gay men, specifically gay men of color, can identify the blatant homophobia and racism within the community. Going on Grindr and seeing several men say “No fems, no sissy, masc4masc” is very discouraging, especially since this is homophobic. Moreover, this is homophobic because femininity is looked down upon almost as if it is a weakness. While homophobia is a form of discrimination that is unique to the LGBTQ+ community, several populations can relate to discrimination. Other groups …show more content…
U.S. officials and supporters believed Puerto Rican women needed these policies for two reasons, being that, “One held that Puerto Rican women were dangerous to other people’s health, and the other, that Puerto Rican women were endangered, sick, and in need of care” (Briggs 46). While U.S. officials and supporters have these reasons, this policy was a method to control and have dominance over poor Puerto Rican women. Also, based on legality, these Puerto Rican women were denied their civil rights, despite the fact that the Civil Rights Act was in place and these women had become citizens. Underneath the surface, there was some classism and racism involved as these women were from a lower class and had a darker skin tone. Furthermore, this discrimination was furthered by other Puerto Rico women, which was led by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union created a Police Women’s Reserve Corp, which even “enlisted local women’s groups, like the Ponce Club de Damas” (Briggs 48). The Police Women’s Reserve Corp went around helping the police catch prostitutes and send them to jail. Similarly, this situation can be compared to Skyes’ sentiment towards gay black men. To be exact, his sentiment of queerness as well as the fact that he was willing to march with organizations that have historically been against his community to stop sexual orientation laws. In comparison, organizations like Ponce Club de Damas helping the the Women’s Christian Temperance Club is also similar to Skyes’ actions, as these organizations that consist of Puerto Rican women are out trying to put prostitutes in jail, when several of these prostitutes are poor Puerto Rican women who are trying to make an income for their families. As well as the fact that these actions taken by the Ponce Club de Damas depict colorism in the Puerto Rico society, shunning
Stop for a moment and think what if homophobia didn’t really mean what we think it means. What if it really meant the opposite? Michael S. Kimmel’s essay “Masculinity as Homophobia” explains that homophobia is actually the fear of being perceived as gay. Yes, this might come as a shock to some people, but let’s see why this actually might make sense. This essay discusses that men in order to look as manly as possible, they act in very different ways, and sometimes they even exaggerate their behaviors (103). According to Kimmel men are afraid of being humiliated by other men and they would rather jeopardize their health just to preserve their masculinity (105). The author states that society has a great impact on how one should behave in order to be perceived e real men. That’s why I deeply agree with Kimmel’s general idea that homophobia is actually the fear of being
1. In Riseman and Seale’s chapter Betwixt and Be Tween, they focus on how sexual identity can be used to police a male’s masculinity. It can start with something as innocent as a shy, quiet boy who starts to be picked on because he is no assertive or aggressive like the other males. The way he is picked on can be the other boy’s called him a: faggot, gay, homo, or boy lover. This means at a young age boys start to think they have to be a certain way to seem manly: assertive, enjoy sports, and be better than girls in all aspects; these are just a few ways boys try to prove their masculinity. One example that proves this was discussed in this chapter. Some students, both male and female, are given a hypothetical situation about a boy, Marcus,
In Michael S. Kimmel’s work, Masculinity as Homophobia, he reveals the great secret of all men: We are afraid of other men. Kimmel urges the reader to realize that men are grouped int...
When you’re small, you often either get a pass to do wrong things or you don’t. Typically, that depends on whether or not you are a boy. For as long as its been humanly possible to hear things, mother’s across the world have held that their precious sons could not and should not be accountable of their actions because, “boys will be boys”. It was a way for men to grow up acknowledging that that just simply could not control themselves. Which ultimately allowed the rest of society to accept that same behavior from them. Media always encourages this type of male cluelessness by always giving the male lead the opportunity to do as he pleases so that his role as male can never feel threatened. In Michael Kimmel’s essay “Masculinity as Homophobia”,
Over time, outsiders opposed to the LGBT ingroup have created cruel assumptions about the sexual lives/health of gay men based on minorities. These assumptions are constantly in circulation: gay men can’t be monogamous, carry AIDS and can’t help themselves from hitting on straight men (Engle, 2017). These microaggressions continue to harm gay men. Another assumption surrounding gay men that is translated into a microaggression is the idea that gay men sacrifice their masculinity for their sexual orientation. There is a general expectation around the behavioural traits expected in gay men: they’re weak, delicate, stylish, and associate themselves more so with women (Engle, 2017).
Social discrimination against gay men and other MSM has been well-documented in many regions of the world, regardless of the cultural, social, political, economic, or legal environment in which they live.14-16 This discrimination can manifest itself in a wide variety of ways from personal hardships such as harassment, ridicule, rejection, or violence to high-level structural factors like discriminatory policies or violations of human rights. Social discrimination has been described as a key factor leading to poor health outcomes in MSM, including increased risk for HIV, across diverse settings.17
Coming out, regardless of what one is coming out as, is incredibly difficult. An important aspect of accepting ones’ sexuality is the support that one gets from others of the same sexuality. “This support comes not only from loved ones … but also from associating with like-minded others in the gay, lesbians, and bisexual communities” (McLean 63). However, even in a group that’s been discriminated against by heterosexuals, there is an outstanding amount biphobia in the LGBT community.
Early feminist studies of gender often depicted the expression of masculinity as solely meant to subordinate women. Upon further research and understanding of gender and its role in society, gender theorists have realized that masculinity is not only a patriarchal regulation against women, but that it also has negative effects against men. Masculinity has different characteristics in different cultures, but masculinity in general presents a hierarchy of traits, with femininity as the lowest, least desirable trait. In American culture, masculinity is defined within multiple structures, such as race, class, and sexuality, where a man’s masculinity can be lessened by his traits as well as these identities. Often, normative expressions of masculinity
the rest of the world, or is it simply the case that society has warped
Approximately 300 million people live in the United States, and of the 300 million people, nine million people have identified themselves as homosexual. This number could be even higher since not every individual has identified themselves as homosexual. At least nine million people are subject to prejudice, hatred, or discrimination because of stereotypes society has placed on them. Stereotyping has led to discrimination, hatred, and prejudice of homosexuals. This extreme and irrational aversion toward homosexuality or homosexuals is called homophobia and is a major social problem.
Germaine Greer, The author of the article, is a very is inflammatory writer who is known very well around the world for her feminism. She is most famous for her book The Female Eunuch, noted as a key text of the feminist movement in the '70s. Germaine Greer is a feminist, she wrote this article in order to create an alternative female out look on a male tendency, but also to show society what was wrong with their thought about masculinity and that it is determined by biology. In the book The Female Eunuch, the last chapter was called Masculinity. There were several but the three main essential attributes of masculinity, according to the minutes off their career are that they need to be extremely strong, they also need to be in control come and they have to always feel better than women.
Over the course of history, the definition of manhood has changed and morphed according to society’s rules. In his essay “Masculinity as Homophobia,” number four in The Matrix Reader, Michael Kimmel tackles the truth about what manhood has become and how society has challenged the meaning of homophobia. He begins with an analysis of history, and then proceeds to relate masculinity and homophobia to power, women, and violence.
We live in a world where society has defined masculine and famine characteristics and features that have influenced our culture. Men are seen as:
An improper education on anti-homophobia can put homosexual youth at risk for physical and mental abuse that can lead to health problems. In this paper, I will be looking at anti-homophobia’s role in education. I will be considering how students as well as teachers are educated. Teachers educate students but students can in turn educate other students through peer-groups. Researching anti-homophobia education is important to sociologists because with a more complete knowledge of how that works, we can find the flaws in the system. Sociologists cannot fix a problem until they know what it is. Homophobia’s definition from Exploring Sociology: an irrational fear or hatred of homosexuals that can lead to discrimination, harassment and violence against them. Education about homosexuality (being attracted to members of the same sex) is an essential step to human equality (definition from and affirmation that this is a Sociological subject from: Ravelli, Webber, 2016). I want to answer the question: who has an
Masculinity and femininity are two terms, which have been interpreted differently throughout history. Both the males and the females have responsibilities and duties but these duties differ based on one’s gender. Gender has played a prodigious role in the economy, politics, and the society. Everyone starts making interpretations of the strengths and weaknesses based on one’s gender. These interpretations are not always based on his or her ability but is usually based on his or her gender. Males tend to be judged as extremely strong and unfashionable in terms of appearance. Whereas, females are judged as expensive and very fashionable. Males and females both differ in their abilities and their enjoyments. Fashion, entertainment, and strength are three topics, which are used to define masculinity and femininity in the 21st century.