Crossing into Manhood: A Men’s Studies Curriculum By Christopher ...

Although they tend to be divided between the classical Marxist position, which says it is capitalism that causes the oppression of women and men, and that of the social feminist perspective, which states that masculinity and the oppression of women is shaped by patriarchal structures apart from capitalism, the adherents to this perspective come from the radical profeminist and New Left movements (Clatterbaugh, p. 120). Because of its ideological tenets, the socialist perspective tends not to seek incremental change by legal or educational means because a complete change in the material conditions of the capitalist society is required. In like manner, the social feminists of the movement disavow the patriarchal structures that comprise capitalist institutions (Clatterbaugh, p. 131). The socialists are also disinclined to support the modern men’s movement because its agenda is principally a professional-managerial class orientation (Clatterbaugh, p. 131). The socialists’ long-term goal “is to eradicate the owning class through implementation of worker control” (Clatterbaugh, p. 131). Unfortunately, the restricted human potential resulting from the capitalist and patriarchal system thwarts “attempts to educate men into a new masculinity or to unlearn the old masculinity” (Clatterbaugh, p. 135).

From the outset, the gay male perspective has been concerned with matters of liberation and security from oppression. This perspective has struggled with masculine identity questions by challenging what is truly masculine and what is truly feminine in gender role ideals and by questioning the viability and morality of hegemonic masculinities (Clatterbaugh, p. 13). The dominant patriarchal culture associates homosexuality with a lack of masculinity (Connell, 1995, p. 143). A corollary to the dominant patriarchal culture’s view of homosexuality is homophobia. Coined in the 1970s, homophobia describes experiences of rejection and abuse that many gay men have incurred from heterosexual men (Connell, 1995, p. 40). It is a complex attitude heterosexual men have that begins with a “fascination with homosexuality … [or] secret desire, driven out of consciousness and converted into hatred” (Connell, 1995, p. 40). However, homophobia has a social, discriminatory element that involves job discrimination, imprisonment, and even murder (Connell, 1995, p. 40; Clatterbaugh, p. 145).