WHAT IS BEING A MAN IN THE 21ST CENTURY? CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON MASCULINITIES

Abstract

This article aims to address masculinity in contemporary society and its respective transformations. Similar to debates related to femininity and feminism, masculinity has also been the subject of questions about its function and expressions in contemporary times. What does it mean to be a man in the 21st century? A bibliographic research is carried out on the transformations in the concept of masculinity between 1996 and the present day. The analysis covers several approaches to the topic, incorporating notions such as “alpha male,” black masculinity, and toxic masculinity, and provokes reflection on the variations and conflicts that permeate the formation of male identities. To this end, the theoretical contributions of Almeida, 1995, and Barreto, 2016, are analyzed. In addition, the article establishes a dialogue with the considerations of Connell (2015), Hooks (2019) and Freyre (2013), which intensify the analysis of the dynamics of power and the challenges of contemporary masculinities. In the end, it is concluded that hegemonic masculinity faces a crisis, while new concepts are emerging to replace it. The objective of this article is not to conclude the discussion on masculinities and their transformations, but rather to broaden this theme, emphasizing the importance of this field of research for the social sciences.