Examining Social Trends

Part 1: Examining Social Trends Below is a list of six social facts connected to the social construction of masculinity. College men are more likely to die of binge drinking than their female peers. When men are victims of domestic and sexual violence, they are less likely to report it than women. When men suffer from depression, they are less likely to see a doctor for help than women. Men in the military are more likely to commit suicide than military women and nonmilitary men. Suicide rates are higher for LGBTQ male-identified youths than heterosexual youths and suicide rates for LGBTQ youths of color are even higher. Poor men and boys are more likely to become gang members and engage in gang violence than their female peers. What ideas about “manning up” are reflected in each of these outcomes? That is, identify the underlying gender expectation that helps explain the outcome. For example, for the first one, you might say, “There is a cultural expectation that men not show signs of weakness, which could connect to pressures to binge drink.” What do these items have in common? Can you think of any other items to add to the list? Part