UpFront

KPFA Fund Drive- The Cage of Socially Enforced Masculinity

In this episode of UpFront, we hear excerpts of The Mask You Live In, a documentary exploring the social enforcement of toxic masculine behaviors, by The Representation Project.

About the Film:

imgresThe Mask You Live In follows boys and young men as they struggle to stay true to themselves while negotiating America’s narrow definition of masculinity.

Pressured by the media, their peer group, and even the adults in their lives, our protagonists confront messages encouraging them to disconnect from their emotions, devalue authentic friendships, objectify and degrade women, and resolve conflicts through violence. These gender stereotypes interconnect with race, class, and circumstance, creating a maze of identity issues boys and young men must navigate to become “real” men.

The Mask You Live In ultimately illustrates how we, as a society, can raise a healthier generation of boys and young men.

– See more at: http://therepresentationproject.org/film/the-mask-you-live-in/about-the-film/#sthash.Qe8vV48J.dpuf

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