Article Analysis 1-3

In the article Monster Masculinity: Honey, I’ll Be In The Garage Reasserting My Manhood, Peter Tragos discusses the causes of feminization of the masculine culture and how culture artifacts are being used to return men to their traditional roles.
It began with the post feminist era when the roles of women were redefined as strong and independent rather than subservient. While beauty is not what defines women, the traditional expectations of beauty and sexuality are expected to be maintained. As Tragos (2009) writes, “Unwilling to yield, or even share power, men accepted a new strong and independent woman as long as she fulfilled beauty expectations” (p.542)

The author explains that the man’s role today is more complex than it was decades ago. The ideology that “men were men” and women were weak no longer exists. Today’s man is more sensitive and attuned to his feminine side. Evidence of this fact can be found in the various magazines just for men that focus on the metro sexual male who is all about appearance and the latest style trends. Some of these magazines are GQ, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Men’s Journal and Vanity Fair.

While the version of a more sensitive, feminine male is ever present in popular culture, a search is on by men who seek the familiar, comfortable aspects of manhood. To meet those every growing desires, various media are trying to return to the days of what the author calls “retrograde sexism”. Tragos (2009) states, “You can look at any magazine cover, pop music lyric sheet, or music video to find evidence that male chauvinism has returned and women are just objects of sexual desire” (p. 546).

Magazines such as Maxim, FHM, and Stuff are now prominently displayed and promote all things manly – sex, gadgetry, beer and sports. Even television networks have jumped on the bandwagon. Shows such as The Man Show on Comedy Central, feature a groups of guys hanging out, drinking beer, talking shop, and watching bikini-clad women. There is even a so-called network just for men – Spike TV. Oh, and let’s not forget about the Super Bowl half-time show that featured lingerie clad women playing football.

The main point of this article is that while various medium are promoting retrograde sexism there are two shows on the Discovery Channel that provide the male population an outlet to return to the more traditional roles of masculinity. Monster Garage and American Chopper focus on a place where men can be just men – the garage. The author states that men need a place where they feel accepted by other men. A place where there are no questions, no challenges and where masculinity is prevalent.

These desires are traced back to what the author calls the postwar hot rod culture. As Tragos (2009) writes, “When World War II G.I.’s returned to the California coast, they brought with them vigor, pride, accomplishment, a little bit of money, great new skills, and the need for speed” (p. 548). The objects of their desire were cars or motorcycles, both of which were either too expensive or hard to find. The solution was to make their own which gave rise to the birth of customized cars and bikes.

Our American culture is forever changing, along with roles and expectations of both men and women. As the saying goes, for every action there is a reaction. As a man’s masculinity was challenged to become more feminine, retrograde sexism appeared. Monster Garage and American Chopper are milder reactions to the change. Tragos (2009) states , “TV shows like Monster Garage and American Chopper fulfill the desire for men to safely return to the cave’s modern avatar – the garage – as a means of vicariously asserting their manhood through hyper masculine stars like Jesse James, the Teutul Boys, and their fantasy garages and alluring outlaw lifestyles” (p. 551).

Reference
Tragos, P. (2009). Monster masculinity: Honey, I’ll be in the garage reasserting my manhood. Journal of Popular Culture, 42(3), 541-553. Retrieved June 6, 2009, from Ohiolink electronic journal finder.