Hypermasculinity

Hypermasculinity, a term used to describe the exaggeration of behavior and identity elements stereotypically associated with men, is both celebrated and denigrated throughout Western culture. This entry describes conformity to the more daring and dangerous rules and roles associated with contemporary masculinity. The entry identifies the important qualities of hypermasculinity, discusses some of the factors that influence this particular configuration of gender practice and identity, and addresses some of the associated consequences.

Masculinity as Enactment and Ideology

Although many people think of masculinity as biologically determined (as, for instance, arising out of our chromosomal, endocrinological, or brain chemistry), there is actually a great deal more evidence to suggest that masculinity is socially constructed. When scholars say that masculinity is “socially constructed,” they mean that masculinity is a ...

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