In the world of sports, men are told to act a certain way; that you have to be tough and there is "no crying". They have to be masculine all the time and show their masculinity all the time. Whether it is showing their muscles or the way they dress. Some athletes, men and women, take on these ideals and challenge what the public says is the norm. Whether it is by showing that a women can be athletic and not be secretly a man (Caster Semenya). Or having long hair on the playing field as a man, athletes are shaping the gender lines today. This is what Green Bay Linebacker, Aj Hawk, does.
In today's standards, men can't be
compassionate or they will be called gay or "unmanly", thus defining
what masculinity really is. Aj Hawk resists
the rule of masculinity. The Green Bay Packers Line Backer from Ohio
State is a big guy. He has the muscles
and he plays LB the most masculine position on the field. Yet, Aj Hawk has long flowing hair. People would say that Hawk is a girl or has
feminine tendency because of his hair.
Yet Hawk is one of the top LB's in the NFL. Hawks hair challenges the norm of what some
would say a normal football player would look like.
Also, not only does Hawks appearance go to show that he challenges the idea of what a true man is, but Aj Hawk does charity work. Masculinity has taken a show no mercy attitude. That man can't have a soft side or they could be gay. Aj Hawk also challenges this ideal. On the field he is an explosive LB. He almost scary at times and some would say that he is a real mans man. Yet, last year in March Hawk sported a new haircut. Hawk cut all of his golden locks off and donated them to charity. He stated why he did it on Twitter. "No child should have to feel ashamed of themselves due to a disease. We are hoping to raise enough money and hair donations to change many lives" (Twitter) Hawks compassion could be conveyed as gay and unmanly. This is because men are not supposed to show emotion. Men at a young age are told that if they do they are sissies or soft. Aj hawk resist the particular norm of what a man should be or what a football player should be.
Also, not only does Hawks appearance go to show that he challenges the idea of what a true man is, but Aj Hawk does charity work. Masculinity has taken a show no mercy attitude. That man can't have a soft side or they could be gay. Aj Hawk also challenges this ideal. On the field he is an explosive LB. He almost scary at times and some would say that he is a real mans man. Yet, last year in March Hawk sported a new haircut. Hawk cut all of his golden locks off and donated them to charity. He stated why he did it on Twitter. "No child should have to feel ashamed of themselves due to a disease. We are hoping to raise enough money and hair donations to change many lives" (Twitter) Hawks compassion could be conveyed as gay and unmanly. This is because men are not supposed to show emotion. Men at a young age are told that if they do they are sissies or soft. Aj hawk resist the particular norm of what a man should be or what a football player should be.
Aj Hawk is a big
guy, but he challenges what masculinity
really is. His flowing hair and how he
donated it to charity goes to show that he has feminine qualities. Hawk proves heterosexuality by how he performs on the field, but of the field he
resist the idea of the cultural norm of masculinity. And some might say he has gay tendencies, but
who would want to tell him that.
