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Showcase manhood: why some men refuse to wear a mask

2020-05-31T02:55:37.158Z


Yes, there are people who look ridiculous with the most common complement these daysIf there is an object that represents the resistance to the expansion of the coronavirus (for visible, the physical distance is intangible), that is the mask . The advice on its use is forceful: if all people use them, it will be easier to avoid contagion in the community, which also makes it an icon of solidarity. But not everyone follows the cue. For example, has anyone seen Donald Trump wearing...


If there is an object that represents the resistance to the expansion of the coronavirus (for visible, the physical distance is intangible), that is the mask . The advice on its use is forceful: if all people use them, it will be easier to avoid contagion in the community, which also makes it an icon of solidarity. But not everyone follows the cue. For example, has anyone seen Donald Trump wearing a face mask? No, the President of the United States has come to visit a mask factory and not use them. It has a couple of reasons.

The first is that it makes you look ridiculous. The second, which gives a negative image of him. At least, according to what sources close to Trump have told the Associated Press news agency . It will be the bottom of the matter is that a public representative of his power is obliged to give the image that he is out of all danger, the well-meaning reader will think. But it is worth considering other possibilities, if you look at the conclusions of a study by two researchers at the University of Middlesex in London, in the United Kingdom, and the Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences at Berkeley, in the United States.

According to the work, the refusal to wear a mask is reproduced in men, more than in women, and belonging to all social strata. The reason is that "they associate their use with negative emotions such as weakness," says Lawrence University researcher Peter Glick in a recently published article in the journal Scientific American . The researcher points out that it is a way to protect their public image of males at the expense of the experts' recommendations. But how can a supplement like this curtail a man's virility?

Toxic competitiveness, misunderstood masculinity

Trump's case can be interpreted as a clear example of what they call "the principle of not showing weakness," the first of the four foundations of the culture of male competitiveness, according to research by Glick and his partner Jennifer Berdahl, and it implies not admitting doubts or mistakes and suppressing tender or vulnerable emotions. The other three norms are that of "strength and resistance", which rewards the strongest and most enduring in the face of any situation that may arise; that of "prioritizing work", in which nothing can be put above a job because it would demonstrate a lack of commitment; and "the law of the fittest," which appeals to ruthless competition in which the winners are more masculine than the losers.

All this is part of a misinterpreted, or toxic, masculinity that is explained on a psychological level through three factors, indicates the health psychologist at the Center for Clinical Psychology Rosa Portero. The first is hormonal: "Different studies have shown that testosterone (a hormone associated with masculinity) makes you more tolerant of risk and reduces that feeling of fear, while estrogens (associated with femininity) intensify the protective instinct of women, which would explain why we take more precautions against the virus. " The other two factors, social and educational, are linked. "Historically, men have been presented as a stronger figure and women have been attributed the opposite. Something that does not correspond to reality but that makes many men feel more willing to face dangers," added the psychologist.

Those who believe in this toxic idea of ​​masculinity think that what it takes to act like a true man and demonstrate virility is a combination of an aggressive attitude, the fact of being willing to take unnecessary and unjustified risks, spending extra hours on jobs, being a fierce competitor, and intimidating others, especially when they pose a threat to masculinity. Does it sound familiar to you? Well, it is something that, according to the study by Glick and Berdahl, can only have negative consequences. The research findings reveal that the environments in which this culture prevails are hostile, discouraging, sexist, and intimidating , among other things. On the contrary, in a well-conceived masculinity there is no fear of showing weakness or suffering, of expressing emotions beyond anger or the need to be dominant.

The insecurities that a good suit hides

When the feeling of power is lost in the context of the culture of male competitiveness, "ways to compensate for it appear to counteract this frustration and lack of manhood," the expert clarifies. It could be the case of Trump and the use of masks, but this complement is not the only one with which men cover the shame of their weaknesses. The wardrobe is a clear letter of introduction and is selected in order to " enhance the positive features of the person or disguise the negative, " explains Mario Zafra, tailor of the men's fashion brand Yusty.

The tailor explains that less muscular men "have shoulder pads added to their jackets to give the feeling of a bigger back"; For those with a belly, "the use of suspenders is recommended so that the pants do not fall below the belly, to be able to hide it and avoid showing their short legs"; With the short ones, "capri" shorts are avoided because they make them look smaller. " These strategies are notorious even in shoes, to which rises are added to give greater height. In short, there are an infinity of little tricks that for some make the great difference between feeling more or less masculine.

However, the details in a suit are not the only mask with which the insecurities are hidden from the public. There can be many other things that are associated with masculinity and "have to do with cultural, social and educational issues," says the psychologist. A haircut or a hairstyle can be another, indicates Zafra, who gives as an example "the facts to cover and hide the bald spots". Also the cars. According to various studies, the relationship between men and cars has a lot to do with the feeling of power and control that it generates, something that can be seen reflected both in the choice of model and in the type of driving. But neither a more aggressive attitude, nor a suit, nor a hairstyle, nor the fastest or biggest car that exists, much less stop wearing a mask in the face of a pandemic, make a man. And to end this toxic perception of masculinity there is only one remedy: " Work on the conceptions and beliefs that these people have so that they can put them aside, " concludes the expert.

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Source: elparis

All news articles on 2020-05-31

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