Unmasking Hypermasculinity
Stefon Kelly
The three most toxic words to young black men are “Be a man.” Extreme masculinity is instilled in black men from an early age. As children they are taught to internalize their emotions, forcing them to wear the mask of hypermasculinity. This mask exaggerates stereotypical male qualities such as physical strength, aggression, and sexual dominance. The media normalizes hypermasculinity by promoting negative stereotypes of black men and romanticizing negative behaviors associated with “manliness.” This has a negative effect on the lives of young black men and those around them.
The mask worn by so many young black men can lead to violence, abuse toward women, and buried emotions. This project highlights the absurdities of hypermasculinity by placing negative imagery prevalent in the media into a new environment and de-normalizing such imagery. By helping young black men and others in society become more aware of the mask they unknowingly wear, we can begin to change the negative stereotypes associated with “manliness.” Young black men can create their own definition of what it means to “be a man”
