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.
I definitely agree that AJ Hawk is challenging this ideal of masculinity, however one thing I thought of while reading this is that long hair for men is becoming more and more acceptable in todays world. I was thinking and there are a lot of famous men, including athletes who have long hair. I just thought it was interesting because it usually is the stereotype that long hair is girly, but somewhere along the line that changed, or is in the process of changing...
ReplyDeleteThis was a perfect example. You never associate long flowing hair or sensitivity with being masculine. But how could you look at AJ Hawk on the field and say he isn't masculine? Off the field he definitely shows more feminine traits but like you said who is going to tell him he's acting feminine? This is probably because his masculine features he displays on the field, overpower the feminine ones he displays off the field.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like athletes are showing a softer side more and more. They are credited for being rough and tough on the field, yet often opt for showing their softer sides off the field. It is becoming almost expected in athletics today. They want to appear as a superhero on the field and as a loving compassionate person off the field.
ReplyDeleteI think it may be becoming more common, but it'll never be something that is completely accepted. Football players will always be questioned on any feminine traits they have, as wrong as it is.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that more and more athletes are growing their hair longer these days. Now, I wouldn't necessarily say that it is feminine. A countless number of male athletes like Hawk, Polamalu, Clay Matthews, and David Beckham are going for more of a long, grungier, bad-boy look. Long hair could be considered more feminine, but in their cases I would say it's not usually thought about in that way.
ReplyDelete