Masculinities, Sexualities, and the Limits of Subversion: Being a Man

Drawing on data from a U.K. study of ‘‘masculinities in transition,’ ’ this article con-siders whether hairdressing, a largely feminized working culture, affords men the space to challenge, reaffirm, and play with dominant understanding of what it is to be a man. We ask whether ‘‘another masculinity’ ’ is possible in this sphere and beyond. Using qualitative interviews and observation in the workplace, men’s feel-ings about working in ‘‘a woman’s world’ ’ and the extent to which their intentional and unintentional ‘‘feminization’ ’ provides scope for challenging gender norms is explored. As Brickell’s discussion reminds us, those who subvert the prevailing values surrounding masculinity are at constant risk of being ‘‘misunderstood.’ ’ For hairdressers, the parody of femininity and campness is always at risk of being misin-terpreted. The data suggest that contextual realignments of ‘‘acceptable’ ’ gendering create the possibility for change, but there are limits to subversion; ‘‘feminized’’ men find themselves reaffirming the gender order as well as contributing to its disorder