What Is Problematic about Masculinities?

Abstract

Recent literature in what used to be called men's studies has begun to employ the terms `masculinity' and `masculinities' in an effort to move away from what are perceived as problems with the term `men's studies.' Without arguing for or against this substitution, this article brings out some of the confusions that result from the use of the highly ambiguous terms `masculinity' and `masculinities.' Many different meanings of these terms are identified and conflations of these meanings are illustrated. The concern with the use of such terms as foundational in a new discipline is that they will bring with them the confusions of their many meanings. In so doing, they make the literature less accessible. It may be that the price of using these loaded terms is worth the cost, but at least the costs have been itemized and warnings attached.