It is nearly impossible for the black male to liberate himself without questioning sexism at its root. There is no universal concept of masculinity. As a result, a "masculine" black male is incomparable to a "masculine" white male. When one thinks of a masculine man, they often think of a man who provides for his family, has a job, and loves his children. However, this definition of masculinity can not be attributed to the black male. The black man was ripped of his masculinity in every form of slavery. He was not allowed to see his family, his children were taken away, he worked for very low wages, therefore, he was not a real "man". During slavery, the very man that put his foot up your ass was defined as a "real" man, and it was masculine for him to do this action. As a result of this universal concept of masculinity, black males had to define their own type of masculinity. Many brothas feel as though Burger King and other fast food restaurants aren't good enough. In an effort to define their masculinity, many brothas turn to gangs to attempt they gain a sense of respect. Therefore, many black males find themselves in a constant inner-struggle to define what masculinity truly means. I would definitely like to hear some feedback on these thoughts.
Masculinity is a very interesting topic, not just for black men but also for the male population in general. Yet, when getting more specific to African American males, the idea of masculinity changes. As African Americans try to fight for the perception of masculinity through that ways like sports or gangs the come across than the way they may have intended. Instead of coming across to people as masculine they may come across as “the angry black man”, or violent, or dumb. However, it is society’s problem of the idea of what masculine means. When looked up in the urban dictionary what masculine means this is what came up, “Often defined as aggressive, strong, and unfeeling or stoic. Being masculine means in modern times, at least, no shows of emotion, no flamboyance, no hugging or even looking at other men, must be interested in sports and physical/violent activity”. This idea of masculine is very negative, which I believe pushes the connotation of masculinity for black men in a downward spiral of what they strive to be towards.
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