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Sunday, February 27, 2011
Quiz 5: Different types of Masculinity
Masculinity, according to Judith Butler, is based on performativity. With this is in mind, it is no surprise then that masculinity can be performed in various different ways.
In the movie Superbad, the main characters, both male, are portrayed as overly horny teenage boys. The humor in the movie is crude and much of the jokes focus on the comedy of the male genitalia. This kind of humor is generally expected from men and even seen as acceptable behavior. Ironically, the characters in the movie are anything but the typical idea of masculine. Michael Cera's character is skinny and awkward while Jonah Hill's character is the "funny fat guy." However, through their crude humor and obsession with "getting the girl", the characters are relatable to many men and thus still seen as masculine.
The video game Call of Duty, commonly abbreviated as COD is perhaps the more stereotypical idea of masculinity. The point of the game is to shoot and kill people. Making the game into a "contest" only fuels the idea of competition and gaining power. In this patriarchal society, anything that makes men feel empowered is going to attract them. Since it seems as though most boys were socialized to believe that being violent is "manly", again it's not surprising as to why this game is seen as masculine. Although each example of masculinity is different, they are both seen as masculine for the sole reason that they empower men and make them feel either in control or confirm that their sexual drive is normal.
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