The Influence of Masculinity and Stereotypes on Men's Health

This essay examines the significant impact of societal constructions of masculinity and gender stereotyping on men's health. It delves into how these constructs, rooted in social interactions and learned behaviors, influence men's health outcomes, including increased risks of diseases such as heart disease, Parkinson's disease, and other conditions. The essay discusses the social construction of gender, highlighting how traditional male stereotypes and gender inequality perpetuate health risks. It also explores the psychological impacts of gender stereotypes, referencing psychoanalytic theory to deconstruct the unconscious communication and the influence of culture on biology. The conclusion emphasizes the adverse effects of masculinity and gender stereotyping on men's health, underscoring the need for awareness and interventions to mitigate these impacts.

To what extent have constructions of masculinity and
gender stereotyping impacted on men’s health

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................2
To what extent have constructions of masculinity and gender stereotyping impacted on men’s
health......................................................................................................................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
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INTRODUCTION
Gender stereotype is defined as a generalized view regarding characteristics or attributes or
the rules which are, or ought to be possessed by, or performed through men and women. It is
harmful when it limits the men's and women's capacity to develop personal capabilities and
pursue their professional careers as well as make choices regarding their lives (Sloan, Conner,
and Gough, 2015). This report speech on the topic “To what extent have constructions of
masculinity and gender stereotyping impacted on men’s health”. It covers the information about
social construction of man along with the impact of gender stereotyping on the health of man.
MAIN BODY
To what extent have constructions of masculinity and gender stereotyping impacted on men’s
health
Like all the social identities, gender is socially constructed. The theory of social
constructionism is one of the key theory of sociology utilise to put gender into cultural and
historical focus. It is the theory regarding the way meaning is developed by social interaction -
by the things people do as well as say with other people. The theory of social constructionism
depicts that gender is not an innate or fixed fact, but it varies across place and time. The norms of
gender are learnt from birth by childhood socialization (Seidler, and et. al., 2018). People learnt
what is expected of their gender from what their parents teach them and what they pick up at
school, by cultural and religious teachings as well as many other social institutions. The
experiences of gender will evolve over the lifetime of a person and thus, gender is always in flux.
People see it through intergenerational and generational transformations within families, as
technological, legal and social changes impacts social values on gender. The general is described
by a sociologist as social structure - A high order category which society utilizes to organise
itself. It is the structure of social relations with emphasize on reproductive arena as well as set of
practices which bring reproductive distinctions among bodies into social processes.
The international and public discourse on debate for gender equality emphasize on
oppression of women. However, impact which traditional male’s stereotypes have on gender
inequality perpetuation types (McKenzie, and et. al., 2018). Male stereotype function as an
aspect of structure, i.e., gender. It denotes a social phenomenon of distinguished females and
males on the basis of set of identity traits. The sexes gendering develops and sustains socially
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constructed differences. In the society, women and men are constructed to interact and behave in
ways which perpetuate their gender identities. However, it is very different at work - the
difference between gender and sex. Though, the difference between gender and sex is widely
contested and highly contentious, it will inform the discussion regarding gender equality. In
order to differentiate between women and men, gender and sex are classifications. In contrast to
gender, sex is defined as the determination made on the basis of scientifically accepted biological
criteria (Smith, Mouzon, and Elliott, 2018). The differentiation of sex can be made by
classification of chromosomal typing before birth or genitalia at birth. The gender must be
understood as social construction, not physiological construction. Masculinity and femininity,
these terms depict gender of an individual, refers to complex set of behaviours and
characteristics prescribed for specific sex by society as well as learned by process of
socialization. As per the opinion of Freud, the subject of human has always been sexed and that
instead of biological differences, the females and girls have become specific social subjects.
Thus, the supposed difference between women and men are accentuated by legitimation of social
stereotypes. The female and male gender profiles are normalised to the degree that they appear
biological and natural. It has been examined by the theorist that the continuity between neurotic
and normal mental life, the concept of unconscious and repression and the process of mind to be
read through slips of tongue, dreams, jokes and symptoms.
The aim of psychoanalytic theory is to deconstruct what is unintentionally or explicitly
communicated in order to illuminate the latent desire, anxieties and fantasies speaking subject. In
context of gender, the psychoanalysis stresses that biology is experience in culture, not in nature
as well as the impact of culture is to change and channel biology as well as instinct in specific
ways (Fleming, Gruskin, Rojo, and Dworkin, 2015). Therefore, the psychological difference
between females and males, if not wholly socially constructed. The social construction of gender
is defined as a system of power which not only divide women and men as feminine and
masculine but, also places the men and masculinity above the women and femininity as well as
operates to value highly those practices and institutions which are dominated by male and
representative of masculine styles and traits. The modern gender constructs as well as the
relation between sex, is the idea of gender equality. This term when destructed in isolation,
enables fundamental issues. Gender is such a system which is based on differences and therefore,
can never transform in state of equivalence. The difficulties in execution of term have resulted
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into some individuals proclaiming that general quality must be constructed as discourse instead
of fixed term. It has various variants as well as interpretations like formal substantive equality.
Gender stereotypes are political inherently, and can be utilised as tool for manipulating the
power relations among women and men. Masculinities are socially constructed profiles of gender
under which man are categorised (Oliffe, and et. al., 2020). Yet, they are not developing equally.
For men, a culturally preferred version is there which held up as model against which man are to
measure of their selves. Homorganic masculinity is not a particular fixed position, as well as
occupying the constable position. Masculinity can be seen as social order which lends structure
and analysis from Gramsci's notion associated with class relation. In social life, Homorganic
Masculinity retains a position which is dominant, while other masculinities like homosexual
masculinity as well as woman are subordinated. Historical and current occupier of this position is
traditional masculinity.
The social factors like the extent to which they impact on the health of male. Due to the
gender stereotyping, the health risks of males can be traced back to behaviour. They engage in
the behaviours which lead to high rates of disease and injury (Seidler, and et. al., 2016).
However, the hormones, genes and anatomy play a significant role in increasing the risk of
men’s for diseases like heart disease, Parkinson disease etc. Among men, who are aged 65 years
and above have heart disease in comparison to women. They almost always put weight and they
don't have production of estrogen in this age. Apart from this, they also suffer from Parkinson
disease which is a neurological disease that affects around 50% or more males and females. It
has been found from the studies that the possibility of Parkinson disease has genetic link with
male x chromosome. In addition to this, meals are also at the risk of kidney stones, pancreatitis
and autism. Thus, the constructions of masculinity as well as gender stereotyping is impacted on
the health of man (Smith, Mouzon, and Elliott, 2018).
As per the opinion of Freud, the subject of human has always been sexed and that instead of
biological differences, the females and girls have become specific social subjects. Thus, the
supposed difference between women and men are accentuated by legitimation of social
stereotypes. The female and male gender profiles are normalised to the degree that they appear
biological and natural. It has been examined by the theorist that the continuity between neurotic
and normal mental life, the concept of unconscious and repression and the process of mind to be
read through slips of tongue, dreams, jokes and symptoms.
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CONCLUSION
As per the above mentioned report, it has been concluded that the health of men is
impacted adversely because of masculinity and gender stereotyping. They may suffer from
various illnesses like Parkinson disease and heart disease. Apart from this autism, kidney stones
and pancreatitis are the other illnesses from which the male suffers due to gender stereotyping
and masculinity.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Sloan, C., Conner, M. and Gough, B., 2015. How does masculinity impact on health? A
quantitative study of masculinity and health behavior in a sample of UK men and
women. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 16(2), p.206.
Seidler, Z.E., and et. al., 2018. Men’s mental health services: The case for a masculinities
model. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 26(1), pp.92-104.
McKenzie, S.K., and et. al., 2018. Masculinity, social connectedness, and mental health: Men’s
diverse patterns of practice. American journal of men's health, 12(5), pp.1247-1261.
Smith, D.T., Mouzon, D.M. and Elliott, M., 2018. Reviewing the assumptions about men’s
mental health: An exploration of the gender binary. American journal of men's
health, 12(1), pp.78-89.
Fleming, P.J., Gruskin, S., Rojo, F. and Dworkin, S.L., 2015. Men's violence against women and
men are inter-related: recommendations for simultaneous intervention. Social science
& medicine, 146, pp.249-256.
Oliffe, J.L., and et. al., 2020. Community-based men’s health promotion programs: eight lessons
learnt and their caveats. Health promotion international, 35(5), pp.1230-1240.
Seidler, Z.E., and et. al., 2016. The role of masculinity in men's help-seeking for depression: A
systematic review. Clinical psychology review, 49, pp.106-118.
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