Tough Guise -Emily Hunter

Tough Guise (Response by Emily Hunter)

            The documentary Tough Guise by Jackson Katz examined a number of ways popular media images aid in the social construction of the current ideal masculinity in the United States.  One topic Katz hits upon is the drastic changes in the ideal male body size that have occurred in the past 50 years.  While I found the comparison of the 1950’s Batman to the current Batman humorous, I also was in shock based on how drastically the ideal male body has changed.  I think it is important to draw attention to the fact that while female body image issues are commonly discussed, male body issues are not.  This lack of discussion makes men more susceptible to having negative body images and potentially triggering psychological issues.  For example, I know one boy who originally had a small frame who decided he was going to “bulk up”.  This initial idea of getting fit sent this boy into a frenzy in which he begin lifting three times a day, eating only protein rich meals, drinking numerous protein shakes, and even moving a bench press into his room so he could do additional reps after the gym was closed.  It is obvious this boy has severely internalized society’s idea that real men are large, and is now most likely doing severe damage to his body.  This boy’s actions in the gym and in the dining hall are just as dangerous as if he were an anorexic female.  Obviously, body image issues are not only a problem for women.

            Another topic discussed that interested me was the idea of sexualized images of violence in the media.  While we only got to watch the first part of this section in Tough Guise, I did learn somewhat about this in my Gender in the Media class last spring.  What I find most interesting is the up-rise of violence in pornography.  Pornography has become a main form of media imagery observed by men and this imagery has become increasingly violent.  The problem with showing violence in pornography is that it teaches men that violence leads to sexual arousal.  When violence becomes sexual the men will want to incorporate violence into real-life sexual experiences, something women may not be aroused by.   In addition, pornographies usually represent the women enjoying the sexual violence that is forced upon them, thus teaching men “a real man gives it his woman rough” and that the woman will enjoy it.  Not only does this enforce the idea that violence is sexual, but it also enforces rape as a sexual fantasy for men.

            Finally, the moment I found most disturbing, as a woman watching this video, was the clip of the comedian bashing women and the men in the audience screaming and cheering for the degradation of women.  Katz hints at the fact that this comedian wouldn’t be able to make a successful living off of his act if he was not feeding off a common fear men have in this society. Not only does this moment reveal the continuation of anti-feminist ideals of the men, but it also reveals that masculinity is just an act.  If these men did not feel that their constant disguise was being broken down, would they have reacted to the female hate in such a supportive way?   Would they have gained empowerment because they were degrading the people who were threatening the act of masculinity? Overall, I think the current disguise of masculinity is forcing men to be put on an act that forces them to become a person I would never aspire to be.