2023-12-04 09:48:40
A group of Canadian researchers invite men to ask themselves: What is my masculine style? The answer is an indicator of the possible direction that their relationships will follow, as they point out and indicate that there is one type of man or another.
Three young men, making different gestures, in a humorous tone. Photo: Master1305/ Freepik
If you, the reader, are a heterosexual man, which of the following male testimonies do you most identify with? Each of the statements reflects a different style and type of man and masculinity, according to a scientific study.
Testimony 1: “Most of the time she (my partner) takes care of the housework, while I take care of male chores like washing the car. Also, sometimes I go shopping and I also do painting work around the house.”
Testimony 2: “We had conflicts because my girlfriend felt that she cooked more often than me. And it was true. We solved it by scheduling cooking tasks: now, if she cooks for three days, I cook for another three. By having a measurable schedule, we were able to divide meal preparation more equitably.”
Testimony 3: “Developing an equitable and safe relationship, where each person’s vulnerability is valued and where intimacy is incorporated, requires work and reflection on our society and what you and your partner want respectively as people. “It also requires a lot of emotional introspection.”
Three men’s styles
The way in which men develop their closer relationships depends on their style of masculinity, which can basically be classified into three categories: neotraditional, egalitarian or progressive, according to research led by John Oliffe, men’s health expert at the University of British Columbia (UBC), in Canada.
The previous testimonies belong to different participants in this study of the UBCbased on a series of interviews with 92 heterosexual men, between 19 and 43 years of age and with diverse cultural backgrounds, according to the university.
The most classic type of man
Neotraditional or neotraditionalist masculinity corresponds to those men who largely follow traditional gender roles, such as being providers and protectors within the framework of the relationship, according to the UBC.
Some men with this masculine style tend to consider that “the man is the ‘head of the family’” and that “he is responsible for ensuring that the relationship is equitable,” as stated by one of those interviewed for the study.
Equal man
Men with an egalitarian style seek a more “equal” association with their romantic partner, emphasizing that the relationship is mutual and reciprocal and that the fact of “giving and receiving” is measurable, that is, can be measured or valued, according to the UBC study.
One of the participants, who fits this typology, expressed: “She (my partner) doesn’t like how I cook, nor does she like meat or potatoes. On the other hand, I love her cooking. I don’t want her to cook, but rather for both of us to be happy with the result, doing what each of us does best.”
The progressive man
The third style of masculinity, the progressive, is that of those men who work to build gender equality in the relationship, maintaining periodic and purposeful conversations with their partner, to establish who is in charge of carrying out the different activities that take place in the relationship. area of the loving bond.
A man with this masculine style explained to UBC researchers that he agrees with his partner that in some countries and depending on social policy, women must face “a triple burden, which is also becoming increasingly greater: “consisting of the fact that a woman has to be a good mother, a good worker and at the same time look beautiful.”
There are different masculine styles. What’s yours? . Photo: Freepik
Impact on relationships
“We set out to understand how different types of masculinities shape men’s relationships and mental health, and we found that each of these masculine styles are associated with different benefits and challenges,” said Dr. Oliffe, research professor in the Promotion of Masculinities. Men’s Health Canada and professor of nursing at UBC.
“Although it is known that young men are increasingly involved in promoting gender equality, little is known about how they work to build alliances in their private couple lives. With this research we hope to have helped map this unexplored space,” explains Oliffe.
Dr. Oliffe notes that those study participants who actively promoted gender equality and social justice reported an improvement in their mental well-being, while those who challenge these ideals could face isolation or criticism from others, which It can impact your psychological well-being.
The study also found that some men with an egalitarian style still struggle to fully understand the concept of achieving gender equality by dividing household chores strictly 50-50, according to the expert.
“These changes and stresses have implications for men’s mental health,” according to Oliffe.
To share their findings, the UBC team launched a online photo exhibition with 120 photographs taken by the study participants and that represent the three masculinities studied.
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