Masculinity in the New Millennium [R]

In recent years, the concept of a unitary hegemonic masculinity has been strongly challenged. Literature suggests that this challenge has created a ‘crisis’, with men having to critically examine their own identity as male/masculine, and reframe their sense of self and relationship to others. The current study provides an insight into this ‘crisis’. From a phenomenological evaluation of the experiences of 14 young adult men (aged 24 – 32 years), the outcomes of this study highlight how the negotiation of self in relation to male/masculine is currently situated. The findings indicate that whilst the deconstruction of previous hegemonic norms is considered a positive, the participants also indicated that the underlying cognitive and social reality of this change is fraught. Many of the participants indicated that ongoing social pressures left them feeling alienated from their inner self, and a fear of the feminine prevented them from engaging fully with their peers. The need for clearer, informed social and educative programs that offer support for young men in developing a congruent and healthy self-identity, which may include a diverse range of previously defined ‘feminine’ roles, is evident