The New Millennium Manliness

Abstract

Hegemonic masculinity is the gender performance that, at any given time, becomes “culturally exalted” over alternative masculine behaviors (Connell, “Social Organization” 38). Exemplars of modern hegemonic masculinity frequently are film actors, sports heroes, or even fantasy characters, ideals difficult or impossible to achieve. The actual practitioners of hegemonic masculinity, however, are people possessing institutional position or considerable wealth. Explains Connell of those exercising its power:

Hegemony is likely to be established only if there is some correspondence between cultural ideal and institutional power, collective if not individual. So the top levels of business, the military and government provide a fairly convincing corporate display of masculinity, still very little shaken by feminist women or dissenting men. (39)