Film Review 1: Tough Guise

1. The main thesis of the film Tough Guise addresses how American society has built sociological and cultural ideas about what it is to be masculine, and how a man should be. The media enforces a false representation of a man, which inquires always being strong, tough, and independent. If the male is seen not having these characteristics then his will be made fun of by others. Being seen as weak, fragile, feminine and getting called a “faggot” are some examples. The word “Faggot” can be used by others, not only to reference sexual preference, but to put a person’s masculinity to question. 2. Some of the main arguments to support the thesis were present throughout the movie. Guys were being asked what they consider to be a man or masculine. It is known to many that men do participate in violence most of the time simply to show their masculinity. The examples in the movie did anything it they could to depict and scare those who are not more masculine. In Paul Kivel’s article The Act-Like-a-Man Box he brings interesting focus to the topic of masculinity. Kivel mentions that men feel the need to stay in this box of masculine characteristics to keep from being verbally or physically abused by others (Kivel 14). In relation to the film, guys are programmed to stay inside this box or notion. This is the misconception taught by media and society. 3. This course is all about masculinity and men’s issues, and how people perceive men as the dominant gender in the society. I think this film is related to the course by how we construct gender in society. The film really sheds light on the misrepresentation of how it is to be a man and how society has shifted our thought process. 4. What I found most convincing in the film is that the social institutions should re-consider the idea of masculinity and focus on a less violent approached to these issues. Since we were kids in this society our families started shaping us to become independent, strong and successful at a young age. But not every individual is equal or the same, therefore not everyone should be expected to act the same way. This film made me thinks of how the world is ruled today. It is about man power, who is strong and who is not. From a privilege and race stand point, Jewel Woods brings up interesting things on black males and privilege in his article The Black Privilege Checklist. Woods mentions how the black male is privileged in our society and how it differs for that of white males (Woods 26). He also mentions that there are many similarities between men than there are differences (Woods 26-27). In relation to the film, black men are held to same stereotypes of what it means to be masculine as well. Identifying myself as bi racial, I find this to be true. 5. What I found least convincing is with the notion that violent creates more violent. It is this idea of masculinity that is embedded in us. If we can change what society valued and change the concepts and ideas surrounding masculinity we may help change the behaviors of some individuals. 6. I would conduct an experiment on how the impact of television, movies, and video games has influenced violent behaviors in teenagers and young adults. I would conduct this by having two groups of teenagers and two groups of young adults. Group one will be exposed to sports, country or classical music, and social activities. Group two will be exposed to violent behavior through television, video games, and movies. After a few months I would record all the group’s behaviors by observation, and how they socialize with other groups accordingly. Work cited Kivel, Paul. 1984. “The Act-Like-A-Man Box.” Pp. 14-16 in Men’s Lives, 9th edition, edited by Michael S. Kimmel and Michael A. Messner. NJ: Pearson Woods, Jewel. 2004. “The Black Privilege Checklist.” Pp. 26-31 in Men’s Lives, 9th edition, edited by Michael S. Kimmel and Michael A. Messner. NJ: Pearson