Masculinity in The Female Man goes hand-in-hand with patriarchal power. The most conventionally masculine men in this novel are also the most dangerous, and the book suggests that that's not a coincidence. As you encounter one no-good, dirty, rotten scoundrel after another, it may seem as though The Female Man is all about hating on the mens. While Joanna Russ is certainly free with her anger, sarcasm, and satire, it could be said that the real antagonists of the novel aren't men themselves, but the social conventions that teach young males to be aggressive, domineering, and violent toward women.
Questions About Men and Masculinity
- In The Female Man, is masculinity innate, or is it taught? If it is taught, who is doing the teaching?
- Are there any positive examples of masculinity or male behavior in The Female Man?
- Compared to the novel's female protagonists, are the male characters as complex and three-dimensional? If not, what purpose do they serve?
Chew on This
The Female Man depicts masculinity as a privilege that guarantees access to resources, wealth, and women. Grimly, it also suggests that men will do whatever it takes to retain that privilege.
In The Female Man, masculinity has less to do with sex or gender than it does with social hierarchies. The status of the "changed" and "half-changed" in Manland suggests that patriarchy will always be built on exploitation and control (bummer).