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International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Book | Chapter

226252

Positive masculinity

including masculinity as a valued aspect of humanity

Martin SeagerJohn A. Barry

pp. 105-122

Abstract

Much of the contemporary narrative around masculinity in the Western world is deeply negative, and promotes the assumption that masculinity is a social problem that needs fixing. In this chapter the validity of this narrative is questioned, tested and counter-balanced by exploring a wider range of theory and evidence. It is concluded that there is a more urgent need to fix our negative social attitudes to masculinity than to fix masculinity itself. Masculinity cannot empirically be reduced to a social construction. Gender is a universal and embodied part of the human condition, not merely a stereotype or construct. At a time when we thankfully no longer try to change or reconstruct a person's sexuality, the same attitude should be taken to a person's masculinity or femininity. It is bad science to confuse gender itself with pathology and this chapter offers a more evidence-based, positive and normative approach to masculinity as a valuable part of the human condition.

Publication details

Published in:

Kingerlee Roger, Seager Martin, Sullivan Luke (2019) The Palgrave handbook of male psychology and mental health. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.

Pages: 105-122

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-04384-1_6

Full citation:

Seager Martin, Barry John A. (2019) „Positive masculinity: including masculinity as a valued aspect of humanity“, In: R. Kingerlee, M. Seager & L. Sullivan (eds.), The Palgrave handbook of male psychology and mental health, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 105–122.