Cordelia Fine's Testosterone Rex: Myths Of Sex, Science And Society

“The Essence of Masculinity.” Institute for Family Studies, https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-essence-of-masculinity. Accessed 2 Apr. 2024. The. Karaim, Reed. Male/Female Roles: Opposing Viewpoints, Greenhaven Press,

Testosterone is a hormone that is more concentrated in men than in women as it is a male sex hormone, it is thought to influence aggression from a young age onwards, due to its actions on the brain areas involved in controlling aggression. One research study that was done on testosterone involved measuring the testosterone found in the saliva of violent and non-violent criminals. This study was concluded by Dabbs et al

“Gender roles refers to the expectations regarding the proper behavior, attitudes, and activities of males and females”(Schaefer, 2018, p. 88). The video Tough Guise focuses on the male gender discussing how the gender role or “Tough Guise” men are expected to conform to affects men in todays day and age. There are many different opinions on what makes a real man, most men believe a real man is tough, strong and physical whereas I believe a real man is chivalrous. Chivalry, for me, means being polite and considerate towards others and being a gentleman is being a real man. Sadly, many men no longer strive to be a gentleman but instead put on a Tough Guise which can lead healthy men to become depressed and even commit violence, both physical

The word patriarchy is rarely openly used to describe modern day American society, yet it is the root of all gender relations. The widely accepted notion that men naturally evolved to become the superior sex is a myth. Aaron Devor’s “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender,” and Michael Kimmel’s “Bros Before Hos: The Guy Code,” both argue that the gender hierarchy America has been built upon is the product of socialization. Devor 's essay, written more like a research paper, focuses on explaining the origins of the gender myth through well-researched scientific evidence and logos. To reflect his writing style, he mainly talks about the physical effects this has had on male and female characteristics. In his

Masculinity has changed very little over time. By definition, to be masculine is to be tough, having little or no emotion, and having great physical strength and endurance. Men are thought to be natural leaders and should accept the role of dominating the household (both his wife and children. “Inequality between women and men is a worldwide social phenomenon”. (Schaefer, R., 2012. p354)

These rules foster a certain type of man. One who takes charge and leads, one whose primary concern is, “Being a Man Among Men,” (Kimmel 464). However, it also creates a person who suppresses his feelings in fear of being labeled as effeminate. The stigma dictates that attributes typically associated with women are unmasculine, so as boys turn to men, “Along the way they suppress all the feelings they associate with the maternal--compassion, nurturance, vulnerability, dependency,” (Kimmel 469). This pattern of suppression has not changed much in recent years. Society still enforces the idea that men should be strong and stoic, when these traits are no longer what are needed to be successful in the workforce.

Interaction between hormones and behavior has shown to be linked to higher aggression and hostility. The aggression found relates to sexual maturation and genetic characteristics. Androgens and testosterone are major influences of aggression. Hormones affect behavior and emotions. These aggressive effects can stem from contemporaneous organizational influences.

Both Deborah Blum’s The Gender Blur: Where Does Biology End and Society Take Over? and Aaron Devor’s “Gender Role Behaviors and Attitudes” challenges the concept of how gender behavior is socially constructed. Blum resides on the idea that gender behavior is developed mainly through adolescence and societal expectations of a gender. Based on reference from personal experiences to back her argument up, Blum explains that each individual develops their expected traits as they grow up, while she also claims that genes and testosterones also play a role into establishing the differentiation of gender behavior. Whereas, Devor focuses mainly on the idea that gender behavior is portrayed mainly among two different categories: masculinity and

“Men are thought to be physically tougher, more aggressive, more rational, better able to handle sex without love, and more likely to be successful at work by virtue of their greater will to win.” (Nicholson, 1993, 2)

With multiple masculinities, certain masculinities are valued hierarchically over others. A hegemonic form of masculinity is most valued, whereas other masculine styles – such as the young, effeminate and homosexual – are subordinated (Hanke 1992:190; Connell 1998:5). Notably in relation to masculinity, femininity is relegated as

Blum consulted University of California at Berkeley behavioral endocrinologist Marc Breedlove about how hormones contribute to gender differences. Breedlove’s studies support the idea that there are biological differences between males and females that distinguish each gender’s behavior. This suggests that it’s worthwhile to look at human evolution to understand why these biological differences exist – what is the purpose of masculinity and why do masculine traits such as aggression develop predominantly in males?

Blow utilizes abrasive language in order to establish his disgusted and outraged tone towards the socialization of men. By describing masculinity as, “toxic, privileged, [and] encroaching,” Blow examines how the concept of masculinity has morphed into something that is causing more harm than good to society. In examining the differences between the rearing of men and women, Blow claims that the socialization of men implies that men are merely an, “unthinking mass of hormones, raging and dangerous.” These strong words serve to further emphasize his argument that the gender socialization undergone by men is implicating and teaching young boys that they are not responsible for their actions are they can be simply be brushed off as hormones. This stirs a feeling of disgust and anger within the reader as they understand that men are capable of complex thought and should, of course, be held responsible for their actions.

From an early age, our society begins to construct gender identities. Males are pressed to learn “suitable” gender roles in accordance to the masculine expectations our society has created. This means from a very early age boys are taught what it means to be a man. Porter’s way to explain masculine socialization is through what is known as the “man box.” Inside the box is a list of socially valued expectations that compose what manhood is about. The box includes expectations/guidelines such as, “don’t cry or openly express emotions (with the exception of anger), do not show weakness or fear, demonstrate power control especially over women (aggression dominance), be a protector, do not be “like a woman,” be heterosexual, do not be “like a gay man,” be tough, athletic, and strong, do not need help, and view women as property/objects.” This idea of manhood is instilled in young boys head and continues to stay with them for the rest of their lives. A fear

Richard Udry was a professor of sociology who believed strongly in a biosocial model of gender. This means that he believed that both the biological and the sociological perspectives of gender, had some validity. In his article, Biological Limits to Gender Construction, he hypothesizes that women’s socialization of gender during their childhood is limited by biological processes that produce natural behavior configurations. More specifically, he hypothesizes that exposing a fetus to testosterone in the second trimester of the mother’s pregnancy will make the chances of “masculine species-typical sex-dimorphic behaviors” increase.

Masculinity, a seemingly simple concept. Yet, when examined more closely, it is clear that masculinity is constantly changing in its definition as well as in its most basic essence. Throughout the years, one can see this evolution firsthand by looking back at the men who have been portrayed in popular media in the United States of America. From the suave Don Draper types of the 1950s to the more casual, educated, and easygoing men- with perfectly chiseled abs, of course- that are portrayed in media today, the difference is clear. This drastic, yet unsurprising, shift in ideals, as well as the exponential increase of media consumed every day, has led to a change in how “masculinity” is perceived, as well as how it is enforced by society in the modern day. Alarmingly, this trend has led to the birth of so-called “toxic masculinity”, a bastardization of the original ideas behind masculinity which has created an enormous, detrimental effect on society as a whole. As defined in the article The Difference Between Toxic Masculinity and Being a Man, toxic masculinity is “manhood as defined by violence, sex, status, and aggression. It’s the cultural ideal of manliness, where strength is everything… where sex and brutality are yardsticks by which men are measured,” (O’Malley) This is a clearly displayed truth, and it’s astounding to see how even from a young age boys are taught not to show emotions other than anger, conditioned to believe that being “like a girl” is the worst possible