What is masculine gender with example?
A noun that denotes a male person or animal is said to be of the masculine gender. For example: boy, king, bull.
Masculinity is defined as qualities and attributes regarded as characteristic of men. When we talk about masculinity, we're talking about a person's gender. Gender is a social construct, and is one of many ways we as humans make meaning and create social structures.
In a now classic piece of work on the social organization of masculinity, Robert Connell (1995: 115 et seqq.) identified four different types of masculinity: hegemonic, subordinate, complacent and marginal.
Traits traditionally viewed as masculine in Western society include strength, courage, independence, leadership, and assertiveness.
Masculine | Feminine | Gender neutral |
---|---|---|
boy | girl | child |
uncle | aunt | |
husband | wife | spouse |
actor | actress |
The idea of masculinities refers to the position of men in the gender order. Whitehead and Barrett explain that: Masculinities are those behaviours, languages and practices, existing in specific cultural and organisational locations, which are commonly associated with men, thus culturally defined as not feminine64.
- maleness.
- manhood.
- manliness.
- virility.
- machismo.
- macho.
- boyishness.
- tomboyishness.
Masculinity is seen to be the trait which emphasizes ambition, acquisition of wealth, and differentiated gender roles. Femininity is seen to be the trait which stress caring and nurturing behaviors, sexuality equality, environmental awareness, and more fluid gender roles.
Masculinity is a form of gender, variously defined as an identity, a social role, and a form of power and is typically, though not exclusively, associated with men.
A man who is truly masculine embraces responsibility and loves, honours, protects and provides for his family and loved ones. He lives with integrity, motivated by conviction, not comfort or convenience. True masculinity is not determined by how much physical strength a man has but rather the strength of his character.
What does toxic masculinity look like?
Toxic masculinity is defined as a set of cultural and societal norms of masculinity that emphasize physical violence, aggression, emotional repression, as well as homophobic and sexist behaviour as the way men are “supposed” to act. Now, this isn't saying that all men behave this way.
Traits like integrity, authenticity, and how he cares for himself and those around him are integral to how a man perceives his own masculinity today — versus physical strength, power, and affluence that prior generations may have prioritized.”

Themes of masculinity such as misogyny, sex, coolness, toughness, material status, and social status depicted in images and videos posted on SNSs are ubiquitous, however, they have yet to be examined.
Gender roles
Traditionally, for men to be masculine, they are expected to display attributes such as strength, power, and competitiveness, and less openly display emotion and affection (especially toward other men).
Masculine | Feminine |
---|---|
Drake | Duck |
Father | Mother |
Gentleman | Lady |
Husband | Wife |
Masculinity is a set of social norms and rules that tells men how they should behave in society. It dictates men to be always self-sufficient, brave, tough, and emotionally strong in order to maintain their status and respect as men.
Practicing healthy masculinity is important in the prevention of violence and encouraging equity in society. According to the American Psychological Association, in a society with unhealthy masculinity, men are expected to be successful, strong, dominant, fearless, and emotionless.
What Is Masculine Gender? The masculine gender refers to any noun or adjective that is used to refer to people and animals classified as male.
butch, macho. used of men; markedly masculine in appearance or manner. male, manful, manlike, manly, virile. characteristic of a man. mannish.
Men tend to have a strong brow bone that protrudes further than their female counterparts, with straighter eyebrows. A nose that is straight or with a dorsal hump is considered more masculine than a nose with a gentle curvature and a lift at the tip of the nose. Masculine lips also tend to be thinner.
What is it called when a woman is masculine?
"Butch" can be used as an adjective or a noun to describe an individual's gender performance. The term butch tends to denote a degree of masculinity displayed by a female individual beyond what would be considered typical of a tomboy. It is not uncommon for women with a butch appearance to face harassment or violence.
On its own, masculinity has no meaning, because it is but one half of a set of power relations.
Nowhere is exactly defined what a masculine woman is, but among men it seems it is widely known and some might love to put a label on a woman as masculine if she has traits like described above: smart, successful, being professional, in charge, driven and strong. Traits that apparently are appointed to men.
Feminine is the opposite of masculine. If it has anything to do with girls and women, it's considered feminine.
: a person who hates or discriminates against women : a misogynistic person. These comments attempt to cut much deeper, striking women at what misogynists see as their most valuable characteristics: appearance, sexual purity, sweetness and submissiveness.
Healthy masculinity is when men flourish first for themselves, then for their families, posterity, and communities. A man embodying healthy masculinity knows who he is. He is physically healthy and strong. He is pursuing and developing his skills and capabilities to make him more competent and able to take action.
Remember, you can be masculine without being toxic.
Working with a trained professional can help you identify your values, explore subconscious and conscious influences, recognize your internal dialogue/self-talk, examine interpersonal relationships, and set realistic, attainable goals.
Positive masculinity (+M) defined
Put simply, positive masculinity is the expression of attitudes and behaviours (character strengths and virtues which any gender might have) that have been embodied and enacted by males for the common good, both individually and for the community.
- A real man is a fighter and a winner.
- A real man is a provider and a protector (of women, children and others)
- A real man retains mastery and control.
The 3 P's of Manhood: A Review of Protection, Procreation, and Provision | The Art of Manliness.
How toxic masculinity hurts men?
You might feel forced to bottle up your emotions instead of healthily processing them. According to a study on Constructions of Masculinity, toxic masculinity strengthens these expectations and forces men to adopt certain traits like aggression, a lack of outward emotions, dominance and risk-taking.
Japan is the world's most masculine society, with a rating of 95, while Sweden is the most feminine society, with a rating of 5. Other "masculine" cultures are USA, the German-speaking world, Ireland, United Kingdom, Mexico and Italy.
Countries like the United States, Mexico, China, and Japan are all considered to be masculine. "Masculinity stands for a society in which social gender roles are clearly distinct.
Men who adhere to traditionally masculine cultural norms, such as risk-taking, violence, dominance, the primacy of work, need for emotional control, desire to win, and pursuit of social status, tend to be more likely to experience psychological problems such as depression, stress, body image problems, substance use, ...
Conformity to toxic masculine behaviour such as dominance and aggression is harmful to our society as a whole. This desire for superiority challenges women's basic human rights and can be linked to the prevalence of harassment and sexual assaults.
Yet, the qualities that masculine women possess—confidence, assertiveness, independence, and daring—are not scientifically or biologically male attributes. Rather, these qualities are constructed as being masculine even though they are commonly found in women.
People sometimes use male to talk about men, in order to avoid using `man' or `boy'. I looked in through the window and saw only males. The police are looking for a tall white male in his mid-twenties. Masculine means `typical of men, rather than women'.
Typical masculine characteristics of the top half of the face: The hairline sits further back on the skull and makes the forehead appear higher– a receding hairline further enhances this effect. The forehead frontal bones protrude more and create a sense of deeper set eyes – female foreheads are more rounded or convex.
- SENSE OF HUMOUR. You've heard it before and you will hear it again because it's very much true… all women like a man who can make them laugh. ...
- FAITHFULNESS. ...
- CONFIDENCE. ...
- INTELLIGENCE. ...
- DRIVE AND PURPOSE. ...
- INDEPENDENCE. ...
- KINDNESS. ...
- PASSION.
- Wear loose-fitting clothes. ...
- Try on baggy pants. ...
- Wear staples like boyfriend jeans. ...
- Get oversized layers. ...
- Choose neutral colors. ...
- Buy high-quality shirts. ...
- Try on canvas sneakers. ...
- Put on work boots.
Is masculinity a form of gender?
Masculinity is a form of gender, variously defined as an identity, a social role, and a form of power and is typically, though not exclusively, associated with men.
Traits like integrity, authenticity, and how he cares for himself and those around him are integral to how a man perceives his own masculinity today — versus physical strength, power, and affluence that prior generations may have prioritized.”