Analyzing Invisible Masculinity: A Sociology Assignment

This document presents a student's responses to an assignment based on Michael Kimmel's essay "Invisible Masculinity." The assignment explores key concepts such as invisible masculinity, hegemonic masculinity, and Kimmel's perspective on men in society. The student answers questions on Kimmel's views, including whether he is a profeminist, the reasons behind the generic nature of white men, and the significance of gender's role in organizing society. The assignment also addresses the meaning of making the "normative" normal, Kimmel's point on the "bad boy" phenomenon, and an interpretation of Adorno's quote. References are also provided.

Running head: INVISIBLE MASCULINITY
INVISIBLE MASCULINITY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1INVISIBLE MASCULINITY
1. What is invisible masculinity and why do men have no history, according to Kimmel?
Invisible masculinity refers to the identification of men as the invisible gender. According to
Kimmel, the ubiquitous in the position of power makes men invisible. It is said until the
intervention of the study of women (Fancher). The authors says that there is no history on men as
gendered selves due to the fact the work does not describe the events in terms of what they
actually signify.
2. Is Kimmel a profeminist or a masculinist men’s movement member? Support your
answer. (A single sentence is enough to answer this question).
Kimmell is a profeminist due to the fact he has mentioned in his writing that feminism is
important for women as well as men. He has mentioned that women’s movement has launched a
critique of social science which has challenged the decision to make gender identify visible.
3. Why are white men generic? Why is it significant that gender has joined race and class
as a way of organizing society? What is the term for this?
According to the author, white men are generic because of the fact of the largely male Senate
that has questioned the length regarding the biased men. According to Kimmel, most men do not
know that women wants people to understand that what is like to be them.
4. What is hegemonic masculinity? Why does it need to be decentered?

2INVISIBLE MASCULINITY
This refers to the multiple masculinities that vary across time, culture and the individual (Chess,
Shira and Shaw). This is a practice that actually legitimizes the dominant position of man and
questions the subordination of women.
5. What does it mean to make the “normative” normal?
Normative shows the dimensions of power that is embedded inside the studies of academic
discourse. This is a vision related to the white, middle class and the heterosexual masculinity
though which both the qualities of men and women are measured.
6. What is Kimmel’s point when he writes, “becoming a ‘bad boy’ becomes a positive
goal?
This points out to the mastery of the role of the male sex in social studies. The maternal nature of
a boy identifies with the fact when his mother with the sense of masculinity. This would
unconsciously relate goodness with feminist ideas. Therefore this shows that becoming a bad boy
with positive goals is the social result of masculinity.
7. Interpret the Adorno quote.
This quote from Adorno states the fact the people who are act strong are the ones who are really
weak as they need the people to showcase their strength. With this the strong men applies this
principal to demonstrate domination over the weaker ones.

3INVISIBLE MASCULINITY
References
Chess, Shira, and Adrienne Shaw. "A conspiracy of fishes, or, how we learned to stop worrying
about# GamerGate and embrace hegemonic masculinity." Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic
Media 59.1 (2015): 208-220.
Fancher, Patricia. "Composing Artificial Intelligence: Performing Whiteness and
Masculinity." Present Tense 6.1 (2016).