From hegemonic man to just man

Notes for gender justice

Abstract

This article offers a critical analysis of contemporary masculinities, with an emphasis on the subjective and social effects of hegemonic masculinity. Drawing on a theoretical framework that includes authors such as Pierre Bourdieu, Judith Butler, Ivan Jablonka, Michael Kimmel, and Valeska Zanello, it discusses the processes involved in the construction of male identity, the culturally imposed gender performances, and their consequences in terms of psychological suffering, exclusion, and violence. It argues that the maintenance of virility as a device of social efficacy implies the denial of male sensitivity and vulnerability, which results in high rates of suicide, depression, and health neglect among men. The text also highlights the mutable nature of masculinities, discussing their potential reconfigurations in light of recent cultural transformations such as the rise of feminist movements, the increased visibility of dissident sexualities, and the crisis of the traditional family and labor model. In conclusion, it defends the need for gender justice that allows for the emergence of the so-called “just men.”