Hegemonic Masculinity
This page is authored by Justin Stoeckle, Associate Director of Prevention and Masculinities Engagement, Student Affairs & Inclusive Excellence, Health & Counseling Center-Health Promotion
What is Hegemonic masculinity?
Hegemonic masculinity is often defined as the most socially prized way to perform masculinity, that is upheld by a patriarchal society that rests not only in power over women, but also power over other forms of masculinity. Hegemonic masculinity prizes a form of masculinity that prioritizes traits such as emotional suppression, aggression, competitiveness, and power. Conformity to masculine norms has been negatively correlated to things such as depression, anxiety, and interpersonal violence. Additionally, hegemonic masculinity can become an obstacle to student learning. These norms could potentially clash with characteristics of being a good learner such as showing vulnerability, admitting to not knowing, listening carefully to others, and grappling with open-ended questions that cannot be easily solved or conquered (George & Waltz, 2021).
This module will provide strategies for faculty on how to create a learning environment that transcends hegemonic masculinity and encourages men to grapple with hegemonic norms. We do not intend to suggest that hegemonic masculinity is not harmful to women in the classroom or that it does not mute other voices. In addition to being harmful to women, hegemonic masculinity produces pressures and expectations for men that limit their options for how to act and appear to one another that become obstacles to their learning.
This page covers:
Teaching Tools
Professional Development
Resources
Teaching Tools
Teaching Strategies
Recogninzing hegemonic masculinity in the classroom
Men come to campus having been raised in a society forces them to want to achieve the hegemonic masculine norms. The impact of that socialization can show up in the following ways:
Men tend to be guarded.
Vulnerability is seen as a weakness, and so in the classroom men are less likely to speak up and be vulnerable if they might be seen as having the wrong answer or failing.
Men are often more eager to compete than collaborate.
It is important to establish goals and expectations for class discussions such that they aren’t seen as a competition. While competition can be leveraged for student learning if done in a collaborative way, competition can also reinforce the hegemonic masculine norm for men of needing to always be “fighting” and seeing success in the classroom as “winning” a discussion as opposed to learning.
Pedagogical Strategies
Men are socialized to believe that certain traits that make for a good learner are not for them: showing vulnerability, admitting to not knowing, listening carefully to others, grappling with open-ended questions. There are several strategies that will allow faculty to address some of these concerns.
Check biases
Before being able to fully engage with the men in the classroom, it is important for educators to check their own biases about those they’re teaching. Some reflection questions to consider are:
How do we understand the expectations of masculinity generally? How do the men at DU fit or not fit into those expectations?
What are the challenges and opportunities of teaching men?
What are the different pressures men face? How can keeping those pressures in mind impact teaching practices?
Professional Development
