Roles Of Masculinity In Cinema

The definition of masculinity is not the exact opposite of femininity, nor is it the exact opposite of homosexuality. Masculinity is the culmination of many ideas ebbing and flowing within the social context that come together as an idea of the masses. The portrayal of virile, breadwinning, heterosexual, and until recently, white men in cinema, has clouded our perception of reality, a reality in which men are sometimes physically strong, sometimes weak, sometimes callous, sometimes passionate. “The representations of the so-called typical American male… [his] sexed identities, desires, and bodies are performative, the effects of a masquerade that is neither singular or continuous…” (Cohan, 1997) Men have been required since the decades
These expectations mirror the role of the average man in our society, however, as the roles of women have changed so have the role of the man of the house. He used to be the bread-winner, the disciplinarian, the final say in the matter, but expectations began to change. More and more frequently to be a man one had to be a good listener, a homemaker, a laundress, a chef, a child care provider, a passionate and creative lover, a faithful partner, and a handy man. (Examples of those roles should be found and entered as proof of argument from 1940-present, about 3-4 well know films). As the nuclear family became more frequently the single parent family, the role of the man changed once again… (still working on
The role of lesbianism or transgender roles have proven to be safer subject matter than gay roles in the past. Looking at movies like Victor/Victoria released in 1982 but set in Paris at the turn of the century, the assertion of the ambiguity of the sexes seems to make it acceptable to have a man falling in love with another, all the more acceptable when a man falls in love with a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman. Still, the line given by Victoria to King Marchand when he is practically sure that he could not find another man attractive gives validity to the social struggle over homosexuality: Victoria: Ah, but to a man like you, someone who believes he could never, under any circumstances find another man attractive, the margin between "practically" and "for sure" must be as wide as the Grand Canyon (Victor/Victoria, 1982). Comparing the content of Victor/Victoria to the content of Brokeback Mountain released twenty three years later, Hollywood has taken great strides in embracing a taboo subject by allowing gay love to take center stage in such a dramatic and serious film. It focuses not only the lives being shared by the lovers but on the affect their relationship has on others in their lives. This modern day glimpse into a lifestyle that is becoming more mainstream may not be the last that