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Dick Whitman Masculinity Analysis

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Dick Whitman Masculinity Analysis
Portraying traditional masculinity as an ideal for men to aspire to be is a toxic paradigm that punishes those who demonstrate deviating behaviours. Donald Draper, TV’s example of the ideal masculine man, demonstrates these very toxicities. Draper is an idealized façade created by Dick Whitman, a man attracted to the power of hegemonic masculinity. Although portrayed as an ideal man, Whitman’s violent tendencies, temperamental anxiousness, and yearning desire for the benefits of hegemonic masculinity all demonstrate serious character flaws. Furthermore, by perpetuating these notions of traditionalized masculinity as being the ideal, we force individuals who possess effeminate qualities to “man up”. This unintentionally legitimizes the notion
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