The Sexuality of Men

by Andy Metcalf (Editor), Martin Humphries (Editor)

Book by

Genres: Sexuality

194 pages, Paperback

Published December 20, 1990

Reviews

[margot · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5) I really thought this book was phenomenal and I’m surprised it’s so unknown. I have never read any writing theorizing masculinity in its construction of this length, written by men and for men (and everyone else of course, but this book was clearly aimed at opening up men to discussion about their gender identity & socialization.) Even though this book was written in the 80s and therefore has a few dated ideas and terms, and also focuses way too much on Freud for my liking lol, it was really well done. The premise of the book focuses on how masculinity is splintered from itself by an obsession with control and power due to fear of vulnerability and alienation from women and a man’s core sense of himself and his body and role in society. It was really quite fascinating and better than I expected as I found this book at a second hand sale, definitely untouched for 20 years.

[Max McKune]

Kind of a slog to get through, and absolutely dated in a few respects, but the articulation of masculinity as a set of goals and behaviors imposed upon and accepted by men by our patriarchal/capitalist social structure, in such a way that it’s unattainable in reality and thus encourages men to constantly act in ways that will bolster that treacherous facade has really my thinking about some stuff and stuck with me as I’ve been reading. It really rang true, at least in my mind, when stated that so much male violence is a reaction against a deep-seated fear of losing a control we were brought up to think we were guaranteed, and because that beacon of masculine control is a mirage in the first place, most masculinity is defined by a constant state of fear and unease. Really lays bare the patheticness of misogyny, homophobia, etc, and how we have to both work at an individual level to address these responses, but also at a social level to undermine these concepts of masculinity and the necessity of attaining it.

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

found the chapter on psychoanalysis a bit of a slog but the rest was pretty insightful. elements are dated as other reviewers have suggested but surprisingly little for a 40 year old book on sexuality/gender. one of the interesting elements of this kind of dated book is it allows you to fill in some blanks yourself (I.e. continued evolution of pornography)

[Ruby · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a collection of 9 essays about men mentality and their sexuality in different characters.

Interesting angles.