Hegemonic Masculinity

Hegemonic masculinity, or hegemonic masculinities, refers to a particular set of practices and societal norms that are seen as “masculine” and that are dominant in society. Masculinity is the set of norms or expected behaviors and abilities that society prescribes to men. It is not “hardwired” biologically. Antonio Gramsci defined hegemony as winning and retaining power that forms and destroys social groups in the process. Hegemonic masculinity relates to how masculinity constructs dominance and remains in control. This involves persuading a large portion of the population and often appears normal and goes unquestioned. The norms and practices that constitute hegemonic masculinity assist men in maintaining social control. In short, hegemonic masculinity is what it takes to be a “real man” in society. The set of qualities defined as hegemonically masculine varies from place to place, over time, and culturally. Development of the concept of hegemonic masculinity was in response to and critique of literature on the male sex role, which was singular and static.

Hegemonic masculinity is a gender performance. A gender performance implies that gender is not innate or tied to sex characteristics but is a set of expectations held by society and its citizens, and a set of actions by individuals and institutions. The performance of individuals is measured against the hegemonic masculinity ideal. All gendered beings can police and shame gender performances, but those in the dominant position are most expected to police other's gender.

Hegemonic norms come with institutional power and are associated with men in power. Hegemonic masculinities are relational, meaning that they are always compared with other masculinities and all femininities. Emphasized femininities, hegemonic masculinities' counterpart, are seen as the key supporting ideal for women where not challenging hegemonic masculinity but, rather, promoting it are the goals. That women are expected by society to strive for emphasized femininities assists in keeping hegemonic masculinities in control because emphasized femininity focuses on being subordinate to men.

Hegemonic masculinity has historically been somewhat invisible not absent but seen as normative and, hence, natural. Masculinity is often attributed to biological traits, such as testosterone: Men cannot [Page 412]“help it” when they act in the ways of hegemonic masculinities. But variation in masculinities demonstrates that the biological argument does not hold. Gender, or masculinity, is not biological—it is a social construction, meaning that society functions to maintain the status quo and constructs expectations of men (masculinities) and women (femininities). Discussion and critique of masculinity has developed in women's studies, critical men's studies, and sociology, to name a few, as a response to the privileged invisibility of masculinities. This entry discusses several aspects of hegemonic masculinity.