Modern Masculinity

Abstract: Cultural understanding of sexuality is based on the ideas of behavior and attitudes of men and women in a society. Throughout the ages, male body has been cited as aggressive and women’s sexuality is seen as a response to that aggressive male desire, which later on described as a natural phenomenon. Therefore, from social to psychology, most of the critics believe that sexuality is a social constructed. Every age has its specific ideology of being a man; like, Masculinity in 3000 B.C. was defined by the valour and courage, Medieval masculinity was essentially based on Christianity and chivalric, Victorian masculine ideology was marked with responsible, well behaved, domestic, protective and breadwinners of family, Modern masculinity

In a simple way masculinity can be viewed as the opposite or the counter part of femininity. But a critical approach of masculinity shows a different story altogether. It is not exactly the counter part of femininity rather a socially constructed form of behavior, attitudes, presentation depending upon the biological features. Manliness or manhood is not something which the man is born with rather after birth through the action and reaction, attachment and detachment, known and unknown one achieves it. “Gender identities are formed from birth as children are moulded into socially-approved patterns of masculinity and femininity. But, while early childhood is undoubtedly a crucial period in the formation of gender identities, masculinities and femininities are being created and recreated throughout the lifecycle: confirmed, negotiated and modified on a daily basis” (Jackson 201). Therefore, masculinity is a theory like feminism deals with the status of men in a particular society. It questions the power relation of masculinity in a given context. The study of masculinity theory is always relational with women, gay, tough guy etc. Masculinity study is a new field of study which emerged in 1970. It came into existence with reference to the men’s right. But the new man is slightly different from this traditional image and conviction of man. Every age has its specific ideology of being a man; like, Masculinity in 3000 B.C. was defined by the valour and courage, Medieval masculinity was essentially based on Christianity and chivalric, Victorian masculine ideology was marked with responsible, well behaved, domestic, protective and breadwinners of family, Modern masculinity is broadly defined by family structure. New man is the product of this modern masculinity. So, Who is this New man? There is no particular history to trace the new man, but it can be assumed that after the World War, when