Being Male - Teen Boys on Masculinity

This is from 1980, so it seems that whatever they were thinking about in terms of re-evaluating their roles got lost someplace in the transition into adulthood. Little has changed in the last 150 years, let alone the last 30 years.

For an explanation of how cultural stereotypes of masculinity make it very hard to step outside those definitions, see my recent post on that subject.

Being Male (1980) 15 min

Sixteen- and seventeen-year-old boys talk candidly about how the traditional image of maleness fits their own experience.

One effect of the women’s movement in western societies has been the gradual realization by some males that they are also trapped by stereotypes.

In this film, sixteen- and seventeen-year-old boys talk candidly about how the traditional image of maleness fits their own experience. Young men, the film shows, are beginning to re-evaluate their role in society.

I can't post the video here, so go watch it at Snag Films.

Tags: masculinity, young men, stereotypes, gender roles, Being Male, traditional image of maleness, feminism, culture, sixteen-year-old boys, seventeen-year-old boys