Man up? Moan less

Image supplied by: By Adam Zunder

In an editorial published Oct. 2, the Toronto Star’s Robert Cribb considers the current plight of the masculine image.

The piece, entitled “It’s time for men to man up and take charge,” laments the lack of strong male role models for young boys, pointing to a generation raised on a stereotype of helpless men—reflected in popular sitcoms and cartoons.

Cribb explains that men are “no longer leaders” and are being eclipsed in the professional world. Consequently, men now come with their balls—as Cribb colourfully puts it—“pre-busted.”

As much has Cribb has a point—that popular television shows often revolve around a bumbling male character—it isn’t only men who suffer in these pop culture productions. Television and media in general are a form of escapism, not the final word on gender politics. It’s a bad idea to use them as some kind of benchmark for relationships on the other side of the screen.

More often than not, the bumbling male character has a long-suffering wife or girlfriend, who has to forgive his latest screw-up and accept his firm promise that he won’t do it again—until next week, when he does. Hardly a role most women would jump to embrace.

It’s hard to decide what’s most troublesome about the Star editorial. There’s the basic assumption that being a man automatically involves certain “manly” responsibilities, the suggestion that pop culture dictates how we perceive each other or the idea that men and women are trapped in an “us vs. them” mentality.

The idea that being a man “has to” mean certain things is short-sighted and offensive, and does nothing but contribute to gender stereotypes. Advocating for a return to the primal manhood of yesteryear, Cribb overlooks that the flexibility of gender roles is exactly what has made it possible for women to shake off proscribed domesticity.

The real problem with the Star editorial is that Cribb fails to articulate any of the terms he assumes the reader will take for granted. This makes the content controversial, without being articulate: what exactly does “manning up” entail? What is involved in returning to “the ancient protocols of manhood”?

Cribb’s interview with Elliott Katz—author of a book entitled Being the Strong Man A Woman Wants—doesn’t answer any of these questions. Instead, the reader gets an unsettling view of how Cribb’s ideas would work in real life, summarized by the following statement: “Leaving decisions to her is very frustrating for women. We all believe in gender equality. But you’re still the man and you have to take charge.”

Who made Katz the spokesperson for women, everywhere?

And who made Cribb the spokesperson for men, anywhere?

All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s)-in-Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.

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