Precarious Manhood and Its Links to Action and Aggression

Jennifer K. Bosson and
Joseph A. Vandello

Abstract

Unlike womanhood, manhood is widely viewed as a status that is elusive (it must be earned) and tenuous (it must be demonstrated repeatedly through actions). This focus on the structure—rather than the content—of gender roles can shed new light on men’s use of action and physical aggression. Here, we review theory and research connecting manhood, action, and aggression. We interpret men’s aggression and aggressive displays as behaviors that effectively demonstrate manhood and thus quell men’s concerns about their gender status. Moreover, we suggest that situational and cultural factors that heighten the precariousness of manhood also increase the likelihood of male aggression.
More to this: I read various articles about how men's gender role is actually every bit as stringent as that of women - except (most) men do not revolt against their roles the way (many) women do.


The underlining is mine.

Various articles and books research gender roles and masculinity. The consensus seems to be that why they all describe it differently, the male gender role is extremely stringent and must be confirmed all the time lest you fall out of the box or is chased from it.

This article is worth reading (thought it is quite long):
http://www.charlieglickman.com/2011/...of-masculinty/

It's main point is that masculinity (in many if not most men's eyes) is something you DO, not something you ARE, and something which you must keep on and on doing.

One of the primary reasons that boys and men gay bash and bully queers is that they need to perform masculinity in order to show the world that they’re in the Box. And since very few guys can always be in the Box for their entire lives, the trick is to act like you are in order to cover for any lapses. In effect, the performance of masculinity requires constant vigilance to make sure that nobody sees any missteps. Since the logic of the box is an either/or, you’re either all the way in or you’re all the way out.

The Box is one of main reasons why men harass women on the street and why catcalling and violence tends to escalate when men are in groups. Since the Box is hierarchical as well as performative, the guy at the bottom of the heap is at risk of being cast out. So each guy has to compete with the others in order to not be the one who’s outside the Box. And as each one’s performance becomes more vigorous, it forces the others to do the same.

If this is true, we should see a difference in violence in various countries, in variation with their gender roles. But this would be hard to research, as there are so many other variables to deal with.