Decline in American Masculinity, Blame Women or the Economy?

A couple weeks ago Jezebel did an article covering a recent piece by Rachel Burger for Forbes that argued that feminism should not be blamed for the decline in the achieve-ability of American Masculinity (aka the 'feminization' of America) but rather we should look to the recent American capitalist economy and its effects on the male labor market.

It is a fresh and interesting angle to take on the issue.  I've often studied how the economy affects and is affect by women's labor (affective and unpaid labor included) and therefore the development of women's social and cultural identities and positions.  Reading about Burger's ideas reminds me that just as womanhood is affect by the economy, so is manhood.  It seems silly to have to spell it out like that--- after thinking about womanhood and economics, how could I not remember that such a relationship exits between manhood and economics?  But I think that when we talk about the Economy affecting the country and Americans, we are not often explicitly genderizing what effects we are talking about--- although often we ARE talking about things that might uniquely affect men,  we tend to talk about those problems as if they are universal phenomenon that everyone experience and/or shoulders responsibility for.

For example, when we talk about reducing funds for welfare or social programs---- news corespondents and politicians tend to immediately talk to us about single mothers, children, or elderly--- usually because such sob stories grab our attention.  But when outsourcing is discussed, I see few politicians and news personalities discussing how outsourcing is often a bunch of male business executives choosing to move many traditionally male jobs out of the country.  Outsourcing is instead discussed in other contexts, and without its gendered implications, making it a problem only framed as an issues for Everyone.  I'm not saying that outsourcing is not an issue that affects everyone.  But what I guess I'm trying to get at is that if men (or Americans in general) want to fight for this identity and lifestyle, they need to own it and openly examine it . . . and thereby uncover the multifaceted factors that are leading this lifestyle/identity/labor to be under threat (and not just do knee-jerk blame-the-women because they can't be bothered to think of any other explanation after thousands of years of human civilization).  I guess, American masculinity is again assumed to be a standard that everyone desires and is concerned about, so the mainstream doesn't feel the need to examine it explicitly . . . even if that is a lost opportunity to save it or assist its evolution.

I have been thinking about this idea of American masculinity being under threat because even though big corporations are not supporting it economically, they are still trying to capitalize off of it through the advertising industry.  I see ads for cars, home maintenance, insurance, health care products, food etc. that target the American male adult still peddle this idea of a rugged modern cowboy punching out of the factory (where his performance has been enhanced by his allergy medication or cell phone) or putting his hammer back on his tool belt, driving home in his powerful car to enjoy his beer, meat, or cable service with his beautiful woman and his progeny, whom he has protected via a manly insurance plan and tough home security system.  It frustrates me that companies still try to exploit (and idealize) this dream and these criteria for masculinity, while undermining the economic components that make such a lifestyle possible.

The Jezebel article does critique Burger's ideas a bit, asking for a more nuanced consideration of the class components to both these economic phenomena and American masculinity.  The idea of what kind of labor our creative economy does value these days, and what gender implications that has is also discussed a bit. There is definitely a lot to think about!

Rape the other girl

As seen on the internet: 

If you're promoting changes to women's behavior to "prevent" rape, you're really saying "make sure he rapes the other girl".

THIS.

I have never thought about it in this context
that’s actually really, really creepy.

I… fuck.

Yeah, basically.

I once pointed this out to my mother and she just stared at me, in stunned silence for ages. 

There will always be a girl who is less sober, less secure, with less friends walking in a darker part of town. I want her safe just as much as I want me safe.

In discussions about rape, you hear "victim-blaming."  Somehow, all her decisions and actions led to her being violently assaulted and violated.

When getting ready, she put on a revealing skirt = she knew that she was going to HAVE to have sex that night.

She talked to a man = she knew that she was going to HAVE to have sex that night.

She left her house to go to a party = she knew that she was going to HAVE to have sex that night.

Sounds ridiculous.  But if she had not gone to the party, she would not being in such a precarious situation.  DO NOT GO OUTSIDE.  You might lead a man on.  Valid rape-prevention advice.  From this point of view, the responsibility lies on the victim.  If he/she does not exhibit such behaviors, no negative result will occur.  If the capybara stays still enough not to be noticed by the jaguar, he/she will survive!

Author's note:  Apologies for the wild analogy, but I happened to have watched a special about jaguars and capybaras.  If you are unsure of what a capybara is:

Victims whose actions did not cause the jaguar to eat them.  It is the jaguar's fault that they were eaten.

The statement provided at the top is a perspective, I will admit, that I never considered.  I could be a very conscientious capybara and enhance my own longevity, but my actions will do nothing to ensure the safety of my fellow friends and peers.  The jaguar remains hungry and will feast on someone else.

What is great about this analogy is that it falls apart with my last sentence.  Men do not have an insatiable desire to violate women.  Men do have self control and bounded sexual desire.  Men do not need sex to survive.  A woman's safety and dignity is not the survival of the fittest.  Rape prevention is not about feeding the jaguars the weakest and least secure capybaras.  The ones might have been abused, bullied, ignored, or in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This analogy is currently blowing my mind.  I am imagining a group of capybaras throwing one of their own to the edge... You shouldn't have dyed your fur!  You made him hungry!

Clearly, the change begins by limiting the concept that rape is okay, an unfortunate event that happens to some of us. Rape should be viewed as an horrendous, disgusting, unforgivable act, terms that should also be attached to it's perpetrators.   It is not the victim's job to make sure they are not raped.  The ones responsible are those of us who ignore the misconduct of the attackers! (And the perpetrators that have no respect for human dignity.)

Last time I checked, we do not live in the South American jungle.

Also note:  I have used men/women in only one situation, but men/women can be raped or rape other people.  Any combination is equally horrendous.

More Work for Mother: Part 2

Welcome to the second installment in our 4-part blog series on Ruth Schwartz Cowan’s seminal book More Work For Mother: The Ironies of Household Technology from the Open Hearth to the Microwave.  Today we will discuss how modern utilities and automotive transportation helped keep “women’s work” in the home.

As discussed in Part 1, the industrial revolution moved traditionally men’s work into the commercial and industrial sectors while leaving women’s work in the private sphere.  According to Cowan, modern utility access supported this break.  According to her research, access to water, gas, and electric service removed men’s role in collecting and hauling water and fuel, and made it possible for cleaning and cooking tasks to remain inside the home (rather than be outsourced).  For example, with a water hookup and electricity, women could clean their laundry at home rather than sending it to a commercial laundry.

The development of automotive transportation also influenced the work done by married women.  Before the car came into widespread use, goods and services came to your door.  The local grocery's delivery boys would deliver your order.  Doctors made house calls.  Peddlers would make their rounds.  As the car took over and the depression put pressure on businesses, delivery services vanished and women started driving to do their shopping, take the kids to school or the doctor, etc.   Transportation service became a large part of a women’s daily route.

Cowan’s book was written in the early 1980s, so recent developments in internet shopping piqued my interest.  Has the internet made things easier for women or harder?  At first, I thought it’s probably helping.  With the rise of online shopping and reliable delivery, women don’t have to drive all over town for many items.  On the other hand, most day-to-day items like groceries still aren’t available for delivery at a price most people are willing to pay.  In addition, internet access has placed the burden of research on the consumer.  Whereas once you paid a travel agent to book your flights, now you spend several hours researching and comparing prices.  The variety of products available also means you spend a lot more time researching the perfect backpack for your child or the best rice cooker.  All this research time seems like an added burden on working mothers that we take for granted.

Thank you to 2013's women's health heroes

With 2013 drawing to a close, I would like to thank those who stood up (both literally and figuratively) for women's rights this year.

photo: today.com

Let's hope 2014 has some great things in store!