Masculinity In The Media

Men maintaining their masculinity have been frequently treated as the “norm” and mens’ aggressive portrayals in the media have often been seen as non-problematic or even exemplary. The social construction of masculinity can be considered as an instrumental concept used to assist in the evaluation of criminal activity. This paper addresses the connection between the social construction of masculinity and crime; how it is incorporated into the media and how the society responds to the media. As Tea Torbenfeldt (2015) stated, “The concept of hypermasculinity serves as a prominent role in criminological studies focusing on the formation of gendered identity”.
Gender roles are an important way of being accepted in various social settings. Femininity and masculinity are regarded as prototypes of essential expression-something that can be conveyed fleetingly in any social situation and yet something that strikes at the most basic characterization of the individual (Goffman, 1976, p.75). Goffman
They are hegemonic and subordinate masculinity”. She explains how the social construction of masculinity can be used to understand men and their attitudes towards criminal behavior or why they commit criminal activities. “Hegemonic masculinity espouses a particular male form as that of heterosexuality, dominance, power, authority and legitimacy while subordinate masculinity espouses homosexuality, illegitimacy, femininity, marginalization and oppression” (McFarlane, 2013, p. 324). The concept of hegemonic masculinity was originally formulated in tandem with a concept of hegemonic femininity? Soon renamed "emphasized femininity" to acknowledge the asymmetrical position of masculinities and femininities in a patriarchal gender order (Connell & Messerschmidt, 2005, p.848). Men continually feel the need to meet the expectations of being a hegemonic male, so as not to be underestimated or