From: Madelin
From a young age, many boys learn how to put on a performance. This act—taught to boys by their peers, family, and role models to appear manly based on the idea that “being a man is about domination, power, aggression, and control” (Katz 16:25-16:30)—is called the “tough guise”. In my two photos, I aim to analyze this performance: what the “tough guise” is, why numerous men embrace the “tough guise”, and what its like to live as a male who rejects the “tough guise”.
The first photo I took represents what it looks like when a man accepts the tough guise. The model in this image is standing confidently, holding a weight, not concealing his muscles—all these elements symbolize that the tough guise is about being strong or showing that you are “tough enough to inflict physical pain and take it in turn” (Katz 14:33-14:36). In addition, there is a blue tint covering everything in the image. Blue is largely associated with boys; I specifically chose this color to demonstrate that adopting the tough guise is seen as peak masculinity, what men are “supposed” to act like. Thus, embracing the tough guise often earns men respect and power, portrayed through the photo’s low camera angle looking up at the model. However, it appears that adopting the tough guise comes with some detriments: as Jackson Katz states in his documentary, men “can’t show any emotion except anger” (Katz 14:25-14:27). While maintaining the tough guise, men lock up and hide away most of their feelings, hence the vertical bars of a staircase railing being in the image (similar to a prison cell), and the blur concealing the model’s expression.
The second photo I took represents what it looks like when a man refuses to perform the tough guise. When a boy does not act tough and chooses to show other emotions, Katz believes that that boy is then at risk of “being seen as soft, weak, feminine or gay” (Katz 14:42-14:44). In the image I created, the model is sat on the floor with the camera looking down at him to demonstrate this weakness, while the blurry shades of pink at the edges of the photo demonstrate him being seen as feminine by others (despite seeing himself as masculine with his blue colored vest). Due to this perception others create when a man does not embrace the tough guise, the man is often ostracized and bullied, which is portrayed in my piece by the hands pointing at the model. This ostracization and bullying, for some men, is not something that they can handle. Backed into a corner (as is the model in my piece), these men will eventually accept the tough guise as a way to “shield their vulnerabilities and avoid being ridiculed” (Katz 15:33-15:36); the tough guise is often forced on to men.
Overall, this “tough guise”—this act that boys are taught to perform—is harmful. The men who adopt the tough guise act out in violence and unhealthily bottle up their emotions, while the men who do not adopt the tough guise become targets of harassment. The mere existence of the tough guise impacts men negatively regardless of whether they choose to accept it or not.
Works Cited
Katz, Jackson, et al. Tough Guise 2: Violence, Manhood & American Culture. Media Education Foundation, 2013.
1 comment:
From: Alaina
This piece creatively uses color to portray the difference between the boy's essence in each picture. Not only does the color of the blur give an overall tone to the pictures, but in general portrays societies narrowed gaze on him. The second picture uses the use of corner. This serves a twofold purpose. One, it portrays the corner that other push effeminate men into. Instead of getting to know an appreciate the nuances of men, society immediately categorizes feminine men into one group. This group is made to feel ashamed, mocked, and less than their other male counter parts. I also see this as the corner this boy feels internally. Those who are different than the societal norm may separate themselves knowing what happens if they stick out while trying to integrate and not knowing where they belong. The first picture was harder to decipher what was going on at first, whereas the second picture was brighter and clearer to me. I take this as the inconspicuous nature of fitting in versus the immediate draw to what goes against the norm. The confidence the boy exhibits in the first picture speaks to the way men do not have to feel shame when they accept the tough guise. Because real men are supposed to lift weights and build muscle, this boy can stand proud as he follows this narrative. The second picture shows the boy making an attempt to fit in by wearing the blue shirt, but from what I gather is lacking in the other categories that make up an acceptable man. His head hanging low represents defeat to me, a feeling many men feel when doing their best to fit in is never enough.
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