Messerschmidt Masculinities and Crime Chapter 3 Gender division of labor 1 Housework Women 2 Unpaid work Women 3 Child care Women 4 Paid labor market workplace Men Hegemonic Masculinity In the labor force hegemonic masculinity was defined by a man s ability to succeed dominate in the labor force and be the breadwinner of the household however many African American men were excluded from the labor force and were forced to work in low paying menial jobs Historical Evolution of the gendered division of labor The family wage system the breadwinner power of white males significantly diminished after World War 2 however the notion that paid work equals masculinity still exists Today most families rely on two wage earners to maintain the standard of living previously underwritten by a single wage earner Also there has been an expansion of service and clerical jobs which led to many women moving into the wage labor force However women in the labor force have been segregated into female jobs clerical service nursing teaching cleaning White male masculinity 1 Breadwinners providers 2 Developed masculinities based on expertise technical knowledge rationality calculation bureaucrat businessman 3 Holding a steady job bringing pay home reliably 4 Skill in paid labor combative solidarity among wage earners White female femininity 1 Full time mother housewife African American masculinity African American Femininity 1 Men lacked the resources to construct a breadwinner provider form of masculinity 1 Femininity focused on more than child rearing domestic duties 2 Women worked in low wage domestic service jobs Gender relations of power Institutional Men control the economic religious political and military institutions of authority coercion in society Interpersonal Because the interests of men more often than not prevail over the interests of women men are able to impose authority over women and smaller social groups family workplace peer groups which also provides men with the authority to define those certain situations Women s work in the home was devalued and white masculine dominance was enhanced due to the separation between the household unit the public workplace Women became even more economically dependent on men for survival because the value of one s work was measured by how much money the individual made for working How sexuality is socially constructed The perception of sexuality by others is an extension of others perceptions of one s gender Heterosexuality is assumed for those individuals who appear to act appropriately masculine or appropriately feminine If one wants to be perceived as a lesbian one must first be perceived as a woman if one wants to be seen as a gay man one has to be seen as a man Hierarchy of Sexual Value 1 Married reproductive heterosexuals normative standard 2 Unmarried heterosexuals 3 Solitary sexuality 4 Lesbians gays Relationship between heterosexuality and hegemonic masculinity Hegemonic masculinity is currently established through an alleged uncontrollable and insatiable sexual appetite for women Dominant ideology marks heterosexual performance as the hallmark of one s identity as a man Sexual impotence threatens not only a man s sexuality but his masculinity as well How are men viewed in this relationship The male insatiable sex drive empowers men How are women viewed in this relationship incomprehensible pathological Doing Gender Women are viewed as objects of heterosexual desire lesbians are delineated as mysterious Gender is a socially constructed concept Men participate in certain social practices to demonstrate their masculinity crime is used when men lack other resources to establish their masculinity Messerschmidt Masculinities and Crime Chapter 4 Social Order of School 1 Emasculating 2 Authoritarian 3 Boys are active and dominate in student organizations 4 Boys conform by following school rules Normative Heterosexuality Boys control exploit the sexuality of young girls Serial monogamy is demanded and enforced Campbell s research on Gangs Gangs reinforced normative heterosexuality guys controlled the girls actions Girls would be beaten if they deviated from heterosexuality If pregnant girls were encouraged to be good mothers and tend to their children Gendered interpretation of jealous behavior because they care about the girls so much If guys had sex with other girls the girls would be upset at each other instead of the guy and their justification was their belief that the guys could not control their sexual urges to be with other girls The girls think guys are controlling and jealous Saints Roughnecks Middle class backgrounds Used crime as a way to demonstrate public masculinity Committed vandalism wild driving truancy drinking and petty theft Community perceived them as good boys None of the 8 participants were ever arrested during the study Committed crimes outside of the city county because they had transportation Used crime as a way to demonstrate masculinity Working class backgrounds Mainly engaged in theft drinking and fighting Community perceived them as delinquents High level of mutual distrust and dislike between the Roughnecks and the police Sporadically harassed by the police Committed crimes within their community Accommodating Masculinity Opposition Masculinity A controlled cooperative rational gender strategy of action for institutional success Used as a way to demonstrate masculinity within the social institution of school while also adhering to the rules and in turn reaping the benefits and privileges of a higher education A masculinity based on the very hegemonic masculine ideals the school discourages Primarily involving nonviolent forms of youth crimes it is used as a way to demonstrate masculinity while also undermining the basic ideals of school Role of Middle Class families Make sure boys are excelling in academics Providing support for the boys Focusing on boys gaining credentials finishing school going to college Social Order of the School Lower Working Class Racial Minority Boys Disorder violence against teachers occurs in classrooms Boys feel that their independence is threatened or violated by their teacher enforcing school rules Boys demonstrated masculinity by engaging in physical violence within school Boys in this group are more likely to develop a physically violent form of opposition masculinity White middle class boys Conform to school rules Participate in sports and academic clubs Accept school values Resort to