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CONCEPT OF MASCULINITY FROM AGE TO AGE

AND ITS IMAGE IN MEDIA

1. The Meaning of Masculinity

Terminology of masculinity is same with talking about feminine.
Masculine is a construction form of gentleman against male. Male is not born
likewise with masculine character naturally. Masculinity is established by
culture. Something which determines male or female character is culture
(Barker, in Nasir, 2007:1). Generally, traditional masculinity consider highly
values, among of them are : force, power, stout-heartedness, action, control,
autonomy, self satisfaction, male solidarity, and working. And which are
considered lower, among of them are: interpersonal relation, verbal ability,
domestic life, communication, female, and children (Barker, Nasir, 2007:1).
In social life, with masculine tradition such that, man is considered fail if
he is not masculine. Most of male is pressed to be masculine. Weak, emotional
in inefficient sexuality performance are main threats against self believe of the
man. According to Wikipedia encyclopedia (http://www.wikipedia.co.id.),
masculinity is called as manhood or manlike.
Masculine character is different in every culture. Masculinity itself is
constructed by culture. Concept of masculinity in east culture like in Indonesia
is influenced by culture factor. When a son is born into the world, so he has
been charged by various norms, duty, and an accumulation of family hope.
When Various kinds of regulation and attribute of culture have been received
trough various media, they are custom ritual, religion text, looking after
pattern, kind of game, television show, text books, advice, life philosophy.
The unimportant thing which happened daily for tens years which derived
from cultural norms, have established a self image in a life of a man. This state
can be seen from taste and style to dress, appearance, activity form, way of
interaction, and way to resolve problem, verbal expression and non verbal
expression until accessories of body which are worn (Vigorito & Curry,
1998:1).
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Self imaging have been inherited form generation to generation, trough

mechanism of culture inheritance become a duty which must be done, if they
want to be considered as the real man. Unwritten general regulation said that
the real man is taboo to cry, he has to look firm heart, strong, braver, hot
tempered, and muscled. Great man is man which can conquer woman`s heart
until there is motivation to do polygamy. There also opinion which said that
man have to be protecting and guiding figure or man will be very masculine if
he is identical to smoke, alcohol and cruelty. (Donaldson, 1993: 1)
Most of man who sometimes involved in fighting both individually or in
group, when he can`t find way out from problem faced, sometimes it relates to
self dignity. It is also cruelty case against woman, which is performed by man,
criminal action, ethnic roughness which is performed by men, includes missal
fighting case.
Several forms of behavior which have been mentioned above are
generally performed by men. It is said generally if it is viewed from quantity
of doer , it also because if it is performed by woman, so people will see as
strange thing or not properly and it will become chat. It is also caused by
public opinion which said that man is free people which proper to do whatever
without being charged by norms of proper and politeness ( Barker, in Nasir
2007: 3).
General characteristic sometimes make community more tolerant if man
do several actions so he doesn`t give special attention against the form of
behavior. In the case of alcoholic drink worshiper for instance, because it is
often performed by men, so community tends to let, when there is man whose
habit is drinking alcoholic drink or when he act roughly and involved in
fighting. It will make difficulty when we differ a man which has problem or
which has no problem , when a man fall on the form of behavior alcoholic
drinking, or often acts roughly.
Concept of traditional masculinity tends to make man talk about himself
particularly his feeling. In facts dialog space for men to criticize concept of
their masculinity is extremely needed, inclusively open space for men to make
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dialog worries against concept of masculinity which is considered charging,

including worries against changing situation which requires the change of
traditional masculinity concept. Requirements of gender equality of woman to
man want also men to have courage to share power with woman in all social
level of life it start from house matter to country. It is also with offering new
self concept of man with full of love, patient, loyal with partner, supportive,
equality, and anti against all forms of cruelty.
The same thing happened also in western world that concept of
masculinity is also influenced by culture. Concept of masculinity on western
community associates always with industrialization image, military power,
and conventional social gender role. It is meant that man has to be strong
physically, smart, aggressive sexually, logic, individualistic, tend to lead, and
other masculine character in the family as a prestige which is possessed
genetically by men.

2. Description of masculinity in trend development of the age.

Concept of masculinity in development of the age undergo
improvement.It is said by Beynon (Nasir, 2007:2) who performs research
about masculine in his book “Masculinities and culture”. In this book, Beynon
describes masculine figure in every decade. Beynon shares form of masculine
with ide of development trend of the age as follows:
a. Masculine before 1980s
Masculine figure which appeared is on figure of employee class men
with shape of the body and their behavior as dominator, particularly on
woman. The image of such woman is familiar in the early industrialization
in that age. Men work as employee with steel arm. Man looks like father,
as authority in a family and figure who can lead woman and main decision
maker. Concept of masculinity like that is called concept of traditional
masculine in western view.
According to Levine writing ( Wikipedia 2008: 1) which is taken
from encyclopedia Wikipedia which chat also the writing of two social
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experts Deborah David and Robert Brannon (Nasir, 2007: 2), there are
four regulation which strengthen masculinity character, they are:
1. No Sissy Stuff: Something which relates to thing which smells
feminism is prohibited, a real man has to avoid behavior and
characteristic which negotiates with woman.
2. Be a big wheel: Masculinity can be measured from the success, power,
and worshiping from other people. Someone has to own property,
fame, and status which extremely masculine.
3. Be a sturdy Oak: Masculinity needs rationality, power, and autonomy.
A man has to act calm in various situations, not to show emotion, and
not to show his weaknesses.
4. Give em Hell: A man has aura of brave and aggression, and has to be
able to take risk although reason and fear feeling wants oppositely.
In its traditional which is developed by the culture of Java is similar,
one of them is same as second point that man must be a big wheel. A man
is said success if he is success in owning wife, property, vehicle, bird pet,
and weapon or magic power. (Osella and Osella, 2000: 120).

b. Masculine in 1980s
Masculine figure then developed in the year of 1980s with different
way. Masculine is not anymore a man which smell wood spice, masculine
is a figure of man as new man. Beynon (Nasir, 2007:3) showed two
concepts of masculinity on decade of 80s with views that new man as
nurturer and new man as narcissist. New man as nurturer is initial wave of
man reaction against feminism. Man do his natural character like a woman
as creature who has care feel. Man has softness as a father, e.g. for caring
child. The desire of man to support woman movement involves also full
role of man in the arena of domestic. This group comes usually from
middle class, good educated, and intellect (Beynon, in Nasir, 2007: 3).
Second view is that new man as narcissist, I relates to
commercialism against masculinity consumerism since the end of World
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War II. New man as narcissist is children from generation of Hippies

(1960s) which interested in cloths and pop music. Much of commercial
product for man appeared, and even man as sexual object becomes great
business. Here, man showed his masculinity with Yuppie style which is
flamboyant and elegant. Man liked more to nurturance himself with
commercial products which made him look success. Property, car, cloths
or personal artifact constitutes dominant realization in this style.
Masculine Yuppies kinship can be seen from their appearance in dressing,
and also their Porsche. Yuppies kinship consider that man who is as
employee in industry that loyal and dedicate as left behind from the age
figure in operating modal. (Beynon, in Nasir, 2007:3).

c. Masculine in the year of 1990s

In the era of 1990s appeared also figure which is called masculine in
decade of 1990s. Man has character not care against underestimated thing
like masculine yuppies kinship in the year of 1980s, This “The New Lad”
comes from pop music football play which direct to masculine macho
character, hard and hooliganism. Then man declared himself in
consumerism label form which more macho, like built life around football
and alcoholic drinking world, and also sexual contact to woman. (Beynon,
in Nasir, 2007:4)
In decade of 1990s man still gives priority their leisure time as time
to do something gladly, enjoy the free life like what exist. Man together
his friends, to do something gladly, swear, watch football, drink beer, and
make jokes which are considered to ignore woman. The relation between
man and woman is merely for enjoyment. Their freedom to avoid from
domestic relation needs loyalty and dedication.

d. Masculine in the year of 2000s

In outer of masculine development which is stated by John Beynon,
it is also proper to be cared masculine in the year of 2000s, remembering
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that the year of 2000s is almost a decade. . Something experienced by man

is its appearance of the typical thing and the longer of the masculine
phenomena, the fuller with new terminologies. Homosexual which has
been developed since decade of 1980s, and even now man`s terminology
has recognize the term of metro sexual (Beynon, in Nasir, 2007: 5).
Metro sexual men are men who come from high middle class level,
they are diligent to dress up, and also joined in honorable group in
community. Metro sexual men such as socialite (people who are glad to
join with honorable community). They have generally broad knowledge or
they are who called civilized men. Metro sexual men worship fashion, may
be alike masculine type which is exist in 1980s, and even the same as
them. Metro sexual men people who are care to regular life style, like
detail, and tend to be perfectionist. Metro sexual men are different to men
who having characteristic of the opposite sex. Or normal men, but they are
men. Metro sexual tends more to choice of masculine identity, particularly
because of requirement that metro sexual men stay always in middle
economic level upward who are able to care their life style. Masculine type
of men in the year of 2000s tends to develop to metro sexual direction.
Based on that decline, it can be concluded that classification
regarding masculinity which is stated by Beynon (Nasir, 2007) are in 4
cattegories , they are : (1) masculine before 1980s, (2) masculine in the
year of 1980s, (3) masculine in the year of 1990s, and (4) masculine in the
year of 2000s.
Based on the four groups, the character of masculinity can be
concluded as follows:
1) No Sissy Stuff: The real man has to avoid behavior or characteristic
which associate to woman.
2) Be a big Wheel: Masculinity can be measured from the success,
power, and worshiper from another people. Someone has to own
property, popularity, and status which is highly masculine. Or in Java
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community: A man is said success if he has wife, property, vehicle,

bird pet, and weapon or magic power.
3) Be a Sturdy Oak. Masculinity needs rationality, force, and autonomy.
A man has to act calm in various situations, not to show emotion, and
not to show his weakness.
4) Give em Hell : A man has to own aura of courage and aggression, and
he is able to take risk although reason and fear wants oppositely.
5) New man as nurturer: A man has softness as a father, e.g. for looking
after children, involves full role of man in domestic arena.
6) New man as narcissist: : Man shows his masculinity with lifestyle of
Yuppies which is flamboyant and elegant, man like more to
nurturance with commercial products of property, cars, cloths, or
personal artifact which make him look successful.
7) Masculine character which is macho, hard, and hooligans, man build
their life around football and alcoholic drinking world, also sex and
relation to woman, give priority to leisure time, do something gladly,
swear, watch football, drink beer, and make jokes which is considered
to ignore woman.
8) Metro sexual men worship fashion, may be like masculine type which
is exist in the year of 1980s, and even may be same. Metro sexual man
are people who are care to lifestyle which is regular, like detail, and
tends to be perfectionist.
Masculine image in this script refers to concept stated by Beynon
(Nasir, 2007) above differ concept of masculinity in four groups. The
reason for choosing concept of masculinity stated by Beynon
(Nasir,2007:5) because it represents various character from man both from
side of age, social class, or status in the community.

3. Masculinity imaging in Media

Media is one of facility which has role in imaging masculinity. Trough
various media, several parties try to give description about concept of
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masculinity. It is like what Beynon performed (Nasir, 2007: 5) who perform

study regarding concept of masculinity, they are literature work, printing
media, announce media, visual media, and per formative media,
autobiography/Biography and documentation and ethnography.
The result of the research about concept of masculinity in various
media can be explained on table 1

Table 1.
Concept of masculinity in various media

Media Resources Explaining

Literature Novel, poem, Trough literature work like Anthony and
work history study, Cleopatra, William Shakespeare showed forms of
writing about travel masculinity. Caesar with extremely masculine
and Sport character with Cleopatra as feminine woman, it is
showed clearly and contrast between traditional
masculine and feminine
Printing Tabloid, Trough this media, masculinity is showed,
media Newspapers, particularly in its development in the year of
magazines, comic 1980s, when press voted the needs of masculine.
Comic for children and adolescence is also media
for exploring masculinity narrative with visual
effect. Masculine character which appeared
become dominant man.
Announce Film, television, Appeared various paradoxs about masculinity.
media video, internet, Film “Saving Private Ryan” (1998) showed extra
radio ordinary masculinity in war. But, this film also
appeared question about masculinity at recent
time. Like in the film of Fight Club and American
Beauty in 1999 which not only showed the force
of masculine muscles, but also showed masculine
emotion aspect like it is seen in masculinity in
1980s.
Visual Painting, sculpture, The body of man is a vehicle with full of
Media and advertisement, meaning. Trough visualization of man body is
per Photography, showed physic and his cloth ( in picture,
formative Cartoon, advertise, Photography of art sculpture). With this
media illustration, Pop per formative component, masculinity is showed
Music, Ritual by body language in various broad of setting, e.g.
ceremony, shows, music concert, drama shows, and sport events.
appearance, and
oration.
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Autobiogra Oral history, life Documenter mode showed what is called as

phy/Biogra story, Biography, autobiography which showed a masculine life
phy and Autobiography, experience and it`s man subjectivity, in present
documentat diary, journal,time and past time. For example telling oral
ion Archive, audio history regarding mines in South Wales in the
visual recording. year of 1970 by Tosch (2000) which describes
their life in barrack where men works , Biography
and autobiography is one of media for construct
the power of positive masculinity identity.
Ethnograph Observation based McEthiny(1994) ( in Beynon 2002) showed that
y on field record, what is called with ethnographic moments against
interview, audio the happened phenomenon in daily life.
visual recording. Etnography gave potential for learning
masculinity which exist in several culture point of
views
Source: Beynon (Nasir, 2007)

Based on study about masculinity in several media, it appears that

masculinity is a construction which is made by culture to direct community to
be something which is owned by community, can be handled according to the
desire of community itself.

References

Craig, Stave. 1994. Men, Masculinity And The Media. Canadian Journal of
Communication. Vol 19. No. 2.

Donaldson, M, 1993, what Is Hegemonic Masculinity?, Theory and society,

special Issue: Masculinities, October 1993, 22(5), 643-657, Diakses dari:
www.springerlink.com.

Kaufman, Michael. 2006. Psychology of Men and Masculinities. Masculinity is

not in our genes, it’s in our imaginations. Psychology, 431, Spring. 2006

Liu, William Ming, 2005. UI Expert On Masculinity, Asian-American Issues

Named Top Researcher, University Of Iowa Chicago.

Martin, Verina Palmer. 2008. Gentlemen or Macho Man? Defining Masculinity

Among Mexican-Americans. Journal of Division of Psychology in
Education. Vol 8, No. 1

Masculinity : Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia

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Osella, Filippo & Osella, Carolina, 2000, Migration, Money and Masculinity in
Kerala, The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, Vol.6, No. 1.
(Mar. 2000), pp. 117-133.

Vigorito Anthony J., & Curry, Timothy J., 1999, Marketing Masculinity: Gender
Identity and Popular Magazines, Journal of Research, July, 1998.