Honoring the “Face Behind the Mask”: Interrogating Masculine Performatives to Promote Retention

Presenters

Dr. Keenan Yul Colquitt, Jr. [email protected] and Twitter @doc_kyc Dr. Tracy Davis [email protected] Dr. Vern Klobassa [email protected]

Bookshelf

Terms and Definitions

Cisgender: The term “cisgender (from the Latin cis-, meaning ‘‘on the same side as’’) can be used to describe individuals who possess, from birth and into adulthood, the male or female reproductive organs (sex) typical of the social category of man or (gender) to which that individual was assigned at birth. Hence a cisgender person’s gender is on the same side as their birth-assigned sex, in contrast to which a transgender person’s gender is on the other side (trans-) of their birth-assigned sex” (Aultman, 2014, p. 62).

Gender: Gender is social construct that is emergent and malleable within and across culture (Coltrane, 1997; Connell, 1987). Gender is done according to West and Zimmerman (19987; 2009). According to Butler (1993), gender is performed. Gender is a social practice that “responds to particular situations and is generated within definite structures of social relations” (Connell, 2005, pp. 71-72).

Gender role socialization: socialization speaks to how what is masculine, feminine, and androgynous is understood. Children learn acceptable behavior patterns through gender socialization, a process that instructs boys and on society’s gender rules (Adams & Coltrane, 2005).

Hegemonic : is constructed in relation to women and to subordinated ; the ordering associated with masculinity and within our society, and that this ordering creates hierarchy that is the basis for all the relationships men experience (Connell, 1987).

Masculinity: Masculinity is a performed social identity that is informed and regulated by socially prescribed notions of manhood (Kimmel & Messner, 2013).

Patriarchy: is “the manifestation and institutionalization of male dominance over women and children in the family and the extension of male dominance over women in society in general (Lerner, 1986, p.239). Grad Studies - Grad Center - The College Student Personnel Program WIU -http://www.wiu.edu/graduate_studies/programs_of_study/csp_profile.php Patriarchy implies that men control power throughout society, in powerful institutions, and women’s access to that power is restricted (Lerner, 1986). Patriarchy is also the systematic subordination of women and lower-status men and is made possible through demonstrations of behavior informed by socially dominant gender construction that empower masculinity and subordinate femininity (Courtenay, 2000).

Toxic masculinity: Toxic masculinity refers to a masculine identity defined engaging in toxic, noxious, or asocial practices; such as, excessive alcohol use, physically aggressive behavior, , and (Gross, 1990; Terry A. Kupers, 1997, 2005). Some researchers suggest that toxic masculinity asserts that men are granted power and privileges afforded to them by patriarchy and that men are, by nature, aggressive, misogynistic, and homophobic (Gross, 1990). Other researchers state that toxic masculinity is a form of hegemonic masculinity where men engage in toxic behaviors with the goal of ascending social hierarchy (Kupers, 1999; 2005).

Toxic practices: Toxic practices and behaviors include, but are not limited to, violent, aggressive, misogynistic, and homophobic behavior and other characteristics often associated with toxic masculinity. Toxic practices are commonly associated with hegemony but are not, however, always defining characteristics of hegemonic masculinity as hegemony is based on situational configurations that allow men social ascension (Connell & Messerschmitt, 2005). Adams, Anderson, and McCormack (2010) articulated

Doing/Undoing Gender: West and Zimmerman (1987) originally presented the concept of doing gender arguing that gender must be continuously socially constructed in alignment with social norms. Butler (1990, 1993) presented a concept of doing gender but through a post-structuralist lens. The differences in these approaches, according to Kelan (2018), are that Butler’s “key concern is how the gender binary can be subverted through unusual and unexpected connections whereas for West and Zimmerman the category of gender has to lose importance for gender to be undone” (p. 545). Kelan’s research used a more recent conceptualization of doing gender which was presented by Deutsch (2007). This conception entailed “doing gender as creating gender difference and undoing gender as reducing gender difference” (Kelan 2018, p. 548).

Theoretical Perspectives & Conceptual Framing

"have we considered that Black and Latino men do not seek you out because they receive cues from others that convey that their lives do not matter”… Dr. David Pérez II (2020)

“Dismantle the defacto practice of equating men with masculinities”…Dr. T.J. Jourian (2020)

“Give permission to men to stop being who they feel they have to be and start being the men they are”…Dr. Keith Edwards (2020)

Intersectionality Hegemonic Masculinities Critical Pedagogy

Non-Violent Compassionate Communication Queer Theory Grad Studies - Grad Center - The College Student Personnel Program WIU -http://www.wiu.edu/graduate_studies/programs_of_study/csp_profile.php Common Strategies in Higher Education

● Men’s retreats

● Dialogue programs

● Peer education (seen in health promotions units, residence life, etc.)

● Student clubs and organizations

● Mentoring programs

● Living learning communities

● Academic curriculum

Implications…or what pros should do…

1. Understand the reciprocal nature of behavior-identity-environment so that we don’t ignore the environmental context and internalized hegemony that may drive the performance of identity.

2. Less “plus one stage” interventions and more of a holistic approach.

3. Listen instead of diagnosing.

4. Always be conscious of your own privileged and targeted identities as they are influencing the interaction. Grad Studies - Grad Center - The College Student Personnel Program WIU -http://www.wiu.edu/graduate_studies/programs_of_study/csp_profile.php 5. Use Robert Kegan’s (1982) Learning Positions as a guide

Learning Position Response Tools/Strategies

Defending Confirmation ● Man Box Activity

● Non-Violent Communication

Surrendering Contradiction ● Counter-Narratives

● Gender-Aware Restorative Practices

● Men’s Retreats

Reintegration Continuity ● Men’s Groups

● Mentoring

● Men’s Retreats

Institutional Plan

1st) Professional development regarding men’s identity development – know the literature & the issues.

2nd) Men’s retention is more than a student services issue. Need to partner with enrollment management and admissions staff, student leaders, athletics, institutional researchers, etc.

3rd) Before beginning resource allocation directed toward men’s recruitment and retention we need to discuss the rationale and seek input from women leaders on campus, women’s support centers, and those with gender non-conforming identities. Any efforts should also be: Preceded by inventory of gender resources - identifying any gaps; Transparent; Completely inclusive in the planning and execution of strategies to ensure that efforts for men complement and support students with minoritized identities .

Grad Studies - Grad Center - The College Student Personnel Program WIU -http://www.wiu.edu/graduate_studies/programs_of_study/csp_profile.php 4th) Convene a team to: initiate benchmarking, identify scholarship & books to use, identify faculty and staff to conduct research on gender-related issues specific to this campus, conduct educational programs on campus. References

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Grad Studies - Grad Center - The College Student Personnel Program WIU -http://www.wiu.edu/graduate_studies/programs_of_study/csp_profile.php Kaufman, M. (1999). Men, feminism, and men’s contradictory experiences of power. In J. A. Kuypers (Ed.), Men and Power. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Fernwood Books. Kegan, R. (1994). In over our heads: The mental demands of modern life. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Kimmel, M., & Messner, M. (1998). Men’s lives. Boston: Allyn & Bacon Kimmel, M. (2008). Guyland: The perilous world where boys become men. New York, NY: HarperCollins. Klobassa, V. & Laker, J. (2018). Student conduct and policy violations: Gender-aware restorative justice practice. In C. Catalano, R. Wagner & T. Davis (Eds.) (2018). Gender-aware practices: Intersectional approaches to applying masculinities in student affairs (New Directions for Student Services). San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass. Klobassa, V., & Davis, T. (2009, March). Masculinity at the intersections: An exploration of hegemony, oppression, performance, and self-authorship. ACPA Standing Committee for Men Research Brief. Retrieved from http://www2.myacpa.org/resources/scm-briefs Laker, J. (2005). Beyond bad dogs: Toward a pedagogy of engagement of male students (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from UA Campus Repository (http://hdl.handle.net/10150/193751) Laker, J. A., & Davis, T. L. (2011). Masculinities in Higher Education: Theoretical and Practical Considerations. New York, NY: Routledge. Liu, W. M., & Iwamoto, D. K. (2007). Conformity to masculine norms, Asian values, coping strategies, peer group influences and substance use among Asian American men. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 8, 25-39. Meth, R. L., & Pasick, R. S. (1990). Men in therapy: The challenge of change. New York: Guilford Press. Molinsky, A. (2007). Cross-cultural code switching: The psychological challenges of adapting behavior in foreign cultural interactions. Academy of Management Review, 32, (2), 622-640. O’Neil, J. M. (1990). Assessing men’s gender role conflict. In D. Moore & F. Leafgren (Eds.), Problem- solving strategies and interventions for men in conflict (pp. 23-38). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association. O'Neil, J. M., Helms, B. J., Gable, R. K., David, L., & Wrightsman, L. S. (1986). Gender role conflict scale: College men's fear of femininity. Sex Roles, 14, 335-350. Pollack, W. S. (1999). Real boys: Rescuing our sons from the myths of boyhood. New York: Holt. Rosenberg, M. (2015). Nonviolent communication: A language of life (3rd ed.). Encinitas, CA: PuddleDancer Press. Tillapaugh, D. & McGown, B. (Eds.) (2019). Men and masculinities on campus: Theoretical foundations and promising practices. Sterling, VA: Stylus. Weber, L. (2005). A conceptual framework for understanding race, class, gender, and sexuality in M.E. Wilson & J.E. Wolf- Wendel (Eds.), ASHE Reader on College Student Development Theory (pp. 433-446). Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing. Recommended Videos bell hooks: Mind, Body and Soul - Women of Color Conference Keynote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAuHQIMQUIs Valarie Kaur @ Watch Night Service: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ7QlKG70LE Gillette Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koPmuEyP3a0

Grad Studies - Grad Center - The College Student Personnel Program WIU -http://www.wiu.edu/graduate_studies/programs_of_study/csp_profile.php We See the Good in Men Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=x_HL0wiK4Zc John Stewart “This Little Piggy Went to Hell” Vintage Daily Show Monolague http://www.cc.com/video-clips/eb4met/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-toemageddon- 2011---this-little-piggy-went-to-hell

Grad Studies - Grad Center - The College Student Personnel Program WIU -http://www.wiu.edu/graduate_studies/programs_of_study/csp_profile.php