What does it mean to be masculine? A preliminary study

Year 2016, Volume 4 - Issue 1, 108 - 117, 26.03.2016

Olga Selin Hünler

Abstract

The meaning of masculinity is constantly changing and is influenced by a variety of factors. While consumption has become the core of capitalist societies, bodies have become a commodity to be well cared-for and well-groomed through diet, exercise and plastic surgery. As the standard for a desirable male has become increasingly more muscular, muscularity has become increasingly associated with masculinity. The purpose of this preliminary study is to explore this relationship between masculinity and muscularity akin to bodily activities and characteristics. Data was collected from two focus groups, with a total of nine participants. This preliminary study highlighted that masculinity is defined as being strong and fit. Even though the participants did not desire a hyper-muscular body, they described an ideal male body image as an athletic figure with a low fat-lean ratio and frequently cited hyper-muscular stereotypes as representatives of ideal body images.

Maskülen olmak ne demektir? Bir ön çalışma

Abstract

Maskülen olmanın anlamı sürekli olarak değişmekte ve birçok etmenden etkilenmektedir. Tüketim kapitalist toplumların özü haline geldikçe, bedenler de diyet, egzersiz ve plastik cerrahi ile iyi bakılacak metalar haline gelmektedir. Arzulanan erkek vücudu zaman içerisinde daha kaslı hale gelirken kaslı olmak da maskülen olmak ile ilişkilenmektedir. Bu ön çalışmanın amacı bedensel aktiviteler ve özellikler üzerinden kaslılık ve maskülinite ilişkisini araştırmaktır. Çalışmanın verisi toplam dokuz kişilik iki odak grubu ile toplanmıştır. Bu ön çalışma maskülinitenin güçlü ve “fit” olmak ile tanımlandığını göstermektedir. Her ne kadar çalışmanın katılımcıları aşırı-kaslı bir bedene sahip olmayı istemeseler de düşük yağ-kas oranı ve atletik bir figürü ideal beden olarak tarif ederken çok kaslılık sterotiplerini ideal beden imajının temsili olarak sıkça dile getirmişlerdir

Keywords

Maskülinite, kaslılık, ideal beden imgesi, spor salonu

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