Media Journal Analysis: Masculinity, Mental Health, and Ideology

This media journal assignment analyzes an article from The Guardian discussing the impact of hegemonic masculinity on men's mental health. The analysis, drawing on Judith Butler's concept of gender as a social construct, explores how societal expectations of masculinity, such as stoicism and strength, contribute to mental health issues. The assignment examines the concepts of ideology, hegemony, and exnomination, highlighting how these forces shape societal norms and influence media representations. The analysis identifies stereotypes in media, particularly in music videos and advertisements, and discusses how these representations reinforce the pressure on men to conform to specific masculine traits. The journal also explores the importance of acknowledging and expressing emotions for mental well-being, advocating for a broader recognition of mental health issues among men and a shift away from traditional, harmful stereotypes. The student references various sources, including academic papers and articles, to support the analysis.

Media Journal Sheet 2
Name:
Student
Number:
Title of text: 1
Media form:
Link to text:
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As opined by Judith Butler, in her famous book Gender Trouble in 1992, gender is
a mere construct, a social performance to maintain the power balance in society (Plain
2014). The net result of this is men and women are required to act in certain ways as
dictated by society. Thus, boys or men in order to main the hegemony in society are needed
to display certain specific masculine traits such as bravery, honor, respect and similar kind
of traits. This becomes apparent from the article published in The Gardian (2018), 'As boys,
we are told to be brave': men on masculinity and mental health.
It is hard to define ideology since it does not have a clear definition and is used in
various other ways. The term is used to describe the most common beliefs such as
socialism, liberalism and many more. The concept is believing in an idea and its principles.
Ideology is developed since birth regarding various aspects of society making them values,
norms, and principles (Vovelle 2016).
While ideology is constructed by society, hegemony is constructed by a group of people.
Hegemony is believed in ideologies that are created through social influence by socially
powerful people. It is done in order to gain power or satisfy their best interest. One such
belief in society is observed is hegemonic masculinity. The notion that men are supposed to
be strong, muscular, tough and not cry. The article published in The Guardian is on the
ways hegemonic masculinity have created mental health issues among men. The article
describes the ways men face challenges while confronting their feeling as they are assumed
to remain strong. Analysis has found that there is an existing link between the societal
concept of muscularity and depression (Bell and Adams 2016.).
Exnomination is when the attributes of the superior class who influence the
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ideologies or believe their ideologies as the real ideologies are hidden. A strong link can be
traced between stereotyping and exnomination. The thought of the dominant power is
applied to all by generalizing their concepts and creating hegemony. The height of gender
stereotype is noted to cause mental health issues among men in different ways at a different
point in life. The mental health issues are the outcome of the exnomination that have been
carried on for decades. Men, since their birth, are told to keep their feeling, emotions, and
thoughts within them and not illustrate it since it is associated with women’s traits.
However, the years of exnomibation have resulted in an increased number of men suffering
from depression (Hutcheson 2013).
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The stereotypical actions often in popularized through pop music videos, advertisement,
and movies (Grossman and DeGaetano 2014). It represents men in an outlined form that
requires to be followed by rest of the male gender. Representation of men in music videos
of Akon and Robin Thicke are some of the examples that show the portrayal of men
outlined in a way that creates mental pressure on men. Traits such as being aggressive,
strong, competitive, wealth and luxury.
The stereotypes in the text are explicit and have openly discussed the stereotype
that has been linked to masculinity. The article questions men of various age regarding the
issues that they have faced and their thoughts on the aspect. The four men are in the same
opinion that men are taught since childhood to inherit the societal muscularity, get it
absorbed in their body and soul and represent it. Since this has been taught, many men
suffered for years hiding their feelings and being afraid of talking to somebody regarding
their emotions. Due to the suppression of grief, loss and relationship issues, these
challenges take the toll and result in other ways (Marsh and readers 2018).
It is taken for granted that men do not require to open up and if they do they are weak.
It is crucial for men as much as it is important for women to open up and to regard their
emotions. Acknowledging every feeling is essential in order to function properly mentally as
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well as physically. Either feminine or masculine, people need to acknowledge the feeling as
above all, it is the requirement as a person.
Hegemonic masculinity is acknowledged and identified by more and more people
today. It should be recognized widely in order to overcome the growing mental health
issues among men. Along with the becoming healthy, the practice will make possible a
world free from sexism. Not only women are respected, but also men will be more
appreciating of feminine traits and strengths.
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Reference list:
Bell, L.A. and Adams, M., 2016. Theoretical foundations for social justice education. In
Teaching for diversity and social justice (pp. 21-44). Routledge.
Grossman, D. and DeGaetano, G., 2014. Stop teaching our kids to kill: A call to action
against TV, movie and video game violence. Harmony.
Hutcheson, K., 2013. How Fear Makes the Wolf Look Bigger: Analysis of Foucault,
Sandoval, & Fanon in the contemporary process of Graffiti Art. Sociological Imagination:
Western’s Undergraduate Sociology Student Journal, 2(1), p.3.
Marsh, S. and readers, G. 2018. 'As boys, we are told to be brave': men on
masculinity and mental health. [online] the Guardian. Available at:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/24/as-boys-we-are-told-to-be-brave-
men-on-masculinity-and-mental-health [Accessed 22 Dec. 2018].
Plain, G., 2014. Twentieth Century Crime Fiction: Gender, Sexuality and the Body.
Routledge.
Vovelle, M., 2016. Ideologies and mentalities. In Culture, Ideology and Politics (Routledge
Revivals) (pp. 14-23). Routledge.
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