Research Guides: Privilege and Intersectionality: Male Privilege & Masculinities

Male Privilege

"The assumption that being a male in a patriarchal society gives a boy/man greater access to resources—economic and political —including sexual access to women's bodies and labor"

Male privilege/male dominance. (2013). In J. Myers (Ed.), Historical dictionaries of religions, philosophies, and movements: Historical dictionary of the lesbian and gay liberation movements. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Looking at male privilege intersectionally, we see that not all men have access to the same privileges of "maleness" as others because of race, ethnicity, class, education, employment status, geography nationality, appearance, and temperament. For example, what is this poem "Black Male Privilege" (Gulf Coast: A Journal of Literature & Fine Arts; Winter/Spring2018), by Randall Horton really about? The following article, available through Interlibrary Loan, looks at data behind the concept in relation to black men and measurable material gain: Johnson, T. Hasan. 2018. “Challenging the Myth of Black Male Privilege.” Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men 6 (2): 21.

Masculinities/Men Studies have explored the ways that ideologies of male superiority and Western expectations of masculinity hurt not only girls/women (and transgender, agender, and nonbinary people) but boys/men as well, which is where the term "toxic masculinity" arises.

Image transcription.

Backpack of Male Privilege *

*Privilege: a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor

In Business:

I can be reasonably sure that an investor will not ask, "When do you plan to have children?" during a meeting
I can easily find a professional mentor of my gender.
I won't be asked, "Who helped you write the code?" during a demo
I will be respected as the leader of my company, not asked to be put in touch with the team "directly."

At Conferences and Hackathons:

It is likely that at least half of the speakers/panelists/presenters will represent my gender
I will see a significant representation of my gender among attendees
The presence of my gender is not billed as a "perk" at a conference
I can be reasonably sure that if I submit a proposal to speak at a conference, my idea will be evaluated on its merits alone.
I won't be mistaken for the wait staff at a technology conference

At Networking and Social Events

My relationship status is not a primary topic of conversation
I rarely or never have to worry about unsolicited sexual advances at a professional social gathering
I rarely or never worry about how I will be judged based on what I am wearing to an event
I never feel anxious about "sticking out" as one of the few members of my gender in attendance
Acquaintances greet me with a handshake, rather than a kiss or hug.

Inspired by "White Privilege" Unpacking the Invisible Backpack" by Peggy McIntosh. Crowdsourced by the Tech Lady Mafia.

https://skillcrush.com/2013/01/11/unpacking-male-tech-privilege/

See also Sexism
Searches "sexism" as a subject in the library catalog.
See also "Sex discrimination against women"
Searches the library catalog on the subject "Sex discrimination against women"
See also "Sex discrimination against men"
Searches the catalog on the subject "Sex discrimination against men"

The Man They Wanted Me to Be by Jared Yates Sexton
Call Number: PS3619.E9835 Z46 2019 (Moore Stacks)
ISBN: 1640091815
Publication Date: 2019-05-07
Based on his provocative and popular New York Times op-ed, The Man They Wanted Me to Be is both memoir and cultural analysis. Jared Yates Sexton alternates between an examination of his working class upbringing and historical, psychological, and sociological sources that examine the genesis of toxic masculinity and its consequences for society. As progressivism changes American society, and globalism shifts labor away from traditional manufacturing, the roles that have been prescribed to men since the Industrial Revolution have been rendered as obsolete. Donald Trump's campaign successfully leveraged male resentment and entitlement, and now, with Trump as president and the rise of the #MeToo movement, it's clear that our current definitions of masculinity are outdated and even dangerous. Deeply personal and thoroughly researched, The Man They Wanted Me to Be examines how we teach boys what's expected of men in America, and the long-term effects of that socialization--which include depression, shorter lives, misogyny, and suicide. Sexton turns his keen eye to the establishment of the racist patriarchal structure which has favored white men, and investigates the personal and societal dangers of such outdated definitions of manhood.
The Man Question by Nancy Dowd
Call Number: EBOOK
ISBN: 0814785379
Publication Date: 2010-09-20
Among the many important tools feminist legal theorists have given scholars is that of anti-essentialism: all women are not created equal, and privilege varies greatly by circumstances,particularly that of race and class. Yet at the same time, feminist legal theory tends to view men through an essentialist lens, in which men are created equal. The study of masculinities, inspired by feminist theory to explore the construction of manhood and masculinity, questions the real circumstances of men, not in order to deny men's privilege but to explore in particular how privilege is constructed, and what price is paid for it. In this groundbreaking work, feminist legal theorist Nancy E. Dowd exhorts readers to apply the anti-essentialist model--so dominant in feminist jurisprudence--to the study of masculinities. She demonstrates how men's treatment by the law and society in general varies by race, economic position, sexuality, and other factors. She applies these insights to both boys and men, examining how masculinities analysis exposes both privilege and subordination. She examines men's experience of fatherhood and sexual abuse, and boys' experience in the contexts of education and juvenile justice. Ultimately, Dowd calls for a more inclusive feminist theory, which, by acknowledging the study of masculinities, can broaden our understanding of privilege and subordination.
A Companion to Fandom and Fan Studies by Paul Booth (Editor)
Call Number: HM646 .C64 2018 (Moore Stacks)
ISBN: 1119237165
Publication Date: 2018-05-01
See the chapter: Red pillers, sad puppies, and Gamergaters : the state of male privilege in Internet fan communities / Katie Wilson;
Whipping Girl: a transsexual woman on sexism and the scapegoating of femininity by Julia Serano
Call Number: HQ77.9 .S47 2007 (Moore Stacks)
ISBN: 1580051545
Publication Date: 2007-05-14
See chapter: Crossdressing : Demystifying Femininity and Rethinking "Male Privilege"
Handbook of Studies on Men and Masculinities by Michael S. Kimmel (Editor); Jeff R. Hearn (Editor); R. W. Connell (Editor)
Call Number: EBOOK
ISBN: 1412973481
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
See the chapter, among others: Boys and men in families: the domestic production of gender, power and privilege / Scott Coltrane
Black Firefighters and the FDNY by David Goldberg
Call Number: EBOOK
ISBN: 1469633639
Publication Date: 2017-10-23
For many African Americans, getting a public sector job has historically been one of the few paths to the financial stability of the middle class, and in New York City, few such jobs were as sought-after as positions in the fire department (FDNY). For over a century, generations of Black New Yorkers have fought to gain access to and equal opportunity within the FDNY. Tracing this struggle for jobs and justice from 1898 to the present, David Goldberg details the ways each generation of firefighters confronted overt and institutionalized racism. An important chapter in the histories of both Black social movements and independent workplace organizing, this book demonstrates how Black firefighters in New York helped to create affirmative action from the "bottom up," while simultaneously revealing how white resistance to these efforts shaped white working-class conservatism and myths of American meritocracy. Full of colorful characters and rousing stories drawn from oral histories, discrimination suits, and the archives of the Vulcan Society (the fraternal society of Black firefighters in New York), this book sheds new light on the impact of Black firefighters in the fight for civil rights.
Privilege and Prejudice: twenty years with the invisible knapsack by edited by Karen Weekes ; with a foreword by Peggy McIntosh
Call Number: HM671 .P75 2009 (Moore Stacks)
ISBN: 1443810096
Privilege and Prejudice: Twenty Years with the Invisible Knapsack explores various areas of contemporary American culture where sexism and racism still leave an indelible print. In 1988, Peggy McIntosh published her groundbreaking essay White Privilege and Male Privilege, an examination of white privilege and its role in perpetuating racism. Twenty years later, these seven essays reveal problems that persist even in systems that are ostensibly trying to address problems of inequality. Beginning with a foreword by McIntosh on our society's resistance to confronting privilege, this text then delves into a variety of fields. In the first section, on higher education, Simona Hill, Lucien Winegar, Juanita Johnson-Bailey and Ronald Cervero contribute two essays examining racism in the academy, while Donna Axel explores the stigma in law school alternative application processes. The next section interrogates privilege and its effects on females' choices, with Kyla Bender-Baird questioning global contraception policies and Mary Carney giving a historical overview to contextualize persistent gender inequities in computer technology. Media studies and stereotypes are considered in the final section, in which Janice Stapley analyzes children's birthday cards for gender bias and Ellen Miller critiques male dance films. This text would be useful for social science and humanities scholars of all types with its explorations of the continuing ramifications of race, gender, class, and their intersections.

Sandifer, Marcus. 2019. “How White Right Can Fight Wrong: The Plight of White Male Privilege.” Human Rights 44 (1): 24–25.
The article reports that as the equity and inclusion movement is taking shape and form in a variety of professional settings, the legal profession is taking around the very real existence of an equally impactful movement, commonly referred to as white male privilege. Studies and research on gender have occurred over the years that examine the advantages men gain over women, but it was not until an increased focus on white male privilege commanded discussion.

Human Rights : Articles, ideas and special reports on human rights and civil rights published by the American Bar Association for lawyers and others involved in the field.
Pease, Bob. 2016. “Critical Social Work with Men: Challenging Men’s Complicity in the Reproduction of Patriarchy and Male Privilege.” Social Alternatives, no. 4: 49.
This article explores the contribution of critical masculinity studies for profeminist practice with men in social work. It specifically focuses on the implications of this critical theoretical work for understanding patriarchy and male privilege. It argues that critical social work practice with men must be located within the context of patriarchy and the social divisions between men. The paper outlines six key pillars of patriarchy and argues that men need to understand patriarchy as a precursor for acknowledging their complicity within it. Patriarchy Awareness Workshops for men are advocated as a practice for educating men about their complicity in women's oppression and encouraging them to take responsibility for challenging their unearned advantages.
Johnson, T. Hasan. 2018. “Challenging the Myth of Black Male Privilege.” Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men 6 (2): 21.
The concept of Black male privilege has become popular in Black gender discourse. Often used by Black feminists as a conceptual tool, the theory accuses Black males of enjoying so-called privileges in society over Black women and girls. This essay assumes that privilege, if genuine, should be detectable by material standards and thus be empirically measurable. It is argued that research can not only detect whether or not privilege exists, but assess the extent to which it provides its benefactors with power, opportunities, and resources. Hence, White men and women's privilege is measurable in a variety of socioeconomic contexts. To assess the materiality of claims regarding Black male privilege, this essay tests the theory by focusing on several general areas: leadership, domestic violence/rape, leading causes of death, income, and employment.