Tag Archives: act like a man box

Owning Your Body: Body Shaming Comebacks

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This is an interesting article about how a number of men and women celebrities who have been body shamed for both being “too skinny” or “too fat.”  Prison Break star Wentworth Miller is particularly interesting because he breaks norms of masculinity described in chapter 7.  He discusses his depression, an issue commonly faced by many men, but one that often is not talked about publicly.

Miller responds to a meme that went viral mocking his weight gain.

Of course, my favorite response is Amy Schumer’s!  But, you’ll have to check out the article to get her take on it.

Albanian women choose celibacy to become men

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This is a great example of how culture and personal interactions help us develop our ideas of gendered identity.  In this case, people who are born biologically women in Albania choose (or are told as children) that they are male.  They then act as, dress as, and perceive themselves in ways that are associated with masculinity.  The pictures in this article are fascinating.

‘Man up’ — the fear that keeps men from acting human

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Great reflections on the Richie Incognito bullying scandal from LZ Granderson on how language and interaction with other men help reinforce narrowly defined versions of masculinity.

From the article:

You know those electronic collars that zap dogs that stray outside their electronic fences?

That seems to be the purpose of everyone’s favorite and seemingly innocuous phrase, “man up.”

Just mumbling those two words in a typical guy’s direction delivers a psychological shock that discourages him from venturing outside the restrictions of our traditional view of what it means to be a man.