Masculinity or Violence

While I was on the Radio Caracol show in Miami, I commented on the rapid and radical changes the Latina woman makes when she immigrates to the U.S., emphasizing her adaptability, her capacity for biological processing, and—thanks to social and cultural history—her ability to get along with others while taking care of her family. Very interestingly, Dr. Rolando Garcia, psychiatrist and co-host of the program answered, “I envy women—that they can do everything—and I say this with admiration. But, where does that leave us men who, before, knew we had our territory and women had theirs?”

This sympathetic note, comprehensive and yet profound, helps us realize that for many men, it is not easy redefining masculinity. On this point, we observe in some men a proliferation of domestic violence and violation and assault of women in general, associated with maintaining power, control, and domination. Of course, this does not pertain to all men, but we do observe verbal and emotional abuse by many toward their wives, in homes of various socioeconomic, cultural, and educational levels.

According to Jackson Katz, founder and director of a violence prevention program at Northeastern University in Boston, some men try to emphasize their masculine characteristics with the size and strength of their body and their ability to use violence to their benefit.
This new image is reinforced by magazines, commercials and images of super-muscular sports figures. As a consequence, many men under the influence of this ‘style’ spend long hours daily at the gym, not for reasons of health, but to become more muscular, which makes them feel more masculine.

But the problem is more serious when being masculine is associated with being violent. According to Katz, violence on the screen, as well as in real life, is perpetuated by men who are the majority of the audience at such films and sports events. But the most important point is that violence is made to appear glamorous and using weapons becomes the symbol of power and virility.