The documentary The Mask You Live In demonstrates that stereotypes regarding masculinity discourage boys from expressing their emotions freely and lead them to grow up into male adults who prioritize violence. The dominant gender role expectations for men and boys in contemporary society are that male persons are supposed to have physical power, dominant behavior, and be sexually active (Newsom, 2015). From the youngest age, boys are placed into boxes that prevent them from voicing their feelings, especially vulnerable ones, and devalue their emotions for fear of being like girls or gays (Newsom, 2015). Consequently, gender role expectations surrounding masculinity have diverse effects on many people. On the one hand, male individuals cannot learn how to be intimate with others and become lonely and depressed, which causes either aggression or suicidal tendencies (Newsom, 2015). On the other hand, while society as a whole generates gender differences, it is also affected by them, as toxic masculinity associates violence with respect, dehumanizes and objectifies women, and increases crimes (Newsom, 2015). Accordingly, the perceptions of how men and boys have to act induce trouble for each male person and the public.
The dominant form of masculinity has impacted my life by guiding my behavior. I am a male and would say that I am quite masculine, but I was raised with sisters. Therefore, I express my masculinity, yet I know that sometimes this part of my personality is not obvious. Furthermore, I believe that we, as a society, are moving toward the acceptance of multiple masculinities because people are questioning stereotypes and becoming more welcoming of others’ differences. For instance, The Mask You Live In shows that the public has started to realize that pushing certain gender-specific constraints on boys and men leads to a wide range of damaging consequences (Newsom, 2015). As a result, many individuals promote the idea that the male population must have to be able to express their feelings and emotions without being thought of in a negative or diminishing way.
Reference
Newsom, J. S. (2015). The mask you live in [Film]. The Representation Project.