This paper is going to be analyzing the documentary, Tough Guise 2, in relation to the movie, Fight club. Tough Guise 2 presented by Jackson Katz, analyzes violence caused by men as he questions why men act as they do. Katz’s goal is to raise awareness of the avoidance of toxic masculinity by teaching what he believes a “real man” is perceived as. Fight Club directed by David Fincher, is an example of the ultimate toxic masculinity Tough Guise 2 argues against. Both the movie and the documentary discuss how a man's influences, the importance of fitting in, and mental state play a role in violence.
Behind the Beard
Generation after generation, men have been taught by relatives, role models, peers, and the entertainment culture to show
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The narrator did not have any of the same issues as the people going there, but it made him feel something. Being able to be heard helped him cry, which helped him sleep. The narrator talked about how going to the groups made him feel when he said, “When people think you’re dying, they really, really listen to you” (16:43). This shows how men need an outlet to cry and be emotional just as women do. After a while, he stopped going to these groups causing things to turn to violence.
The narrator became involved in the fight club he created, and it just as easily took the place of the support groups he was previously going to. When referring to the fight club, the narrator says, “I found a new support group, it’s for men only” (47:33). This portrays the stereotype of men and violence as described in Tough Guise 2. Katz explains the high statistics of robberies, rapes and murders caused by men and questions why the numbers are not anywhere near the same for women violence (3:04-5:28). This shows that it is not just a stereotype, but proven statistics show that men are