Men's spaces
Encyclopedia
Men's spaces are separate social and cultural spaces, roles and norms available to men in some non-westernized
societies. It is the membership of these spaces that determines a male's manhood, while failing to get a membership of this space amounts to being denied manhood, and to be liable to queerhood, i.e. to be counted as a 'third gender' or a non-man male.
In non-westernized cultures, most traditional spaces are divided into men's spaces , women's spaces and third gender
spaces. The entry or participation of women in these men's spaces is highly restricted. Entry of third genderered persons into men's spaces is also regulated, although with more freedom than women to partake in these spaces.
Although these spaces are restricted for women, Western women who want to study these spaces are often allowed entry.
The manhood tests became more and more torturous with time during which men were expected not to show the slightest sign of pain or sigh. Boys who failed these tests were denied membership of men's spaces, which amounted to denying manhood and being emasculated, and were isolated as one of the third genders, deprived of social rights and privileges available to 'men.' This was a fate worse than death for masculine gendered males.
The feminine gendered males, i.e. the third gender
s were in some tribes exempt from manhood tests and were raised as third genders from early childhood, when they showed what is today known as "Gender incongruent behaviour."
In what are considered modern civilizations, it is still of great importance to be counted as one of the men. It can even be a matter of life and death for masculine gendered males. - and to be isolated as a 'third gender' remains severely stigmatizing for masculine gendered males.
, through a process called heterosexualization.
Some in the Western World think men's spaces are discriminatory toward the rights of women
, and therefore fit for abolition. This is due to an overlap of previously all-male spaces and what was considered the "old boy network
" - channels of social and financial upward mobility that were conducted in all-male spaces. All-female spaces are generally viewed as beneficial for women, which would seemingly be hypocritical except for this reason: all-female spaces have not historically tended to be restrictive of male financial and social upward mobility and power.
There are hardly any exclusively-male spaces in western culture now, and even former strongholds of men's spaces like military forces and sports have increasingly become gender neutral.
Westernization
Westernization or Westernisation , also occidentalization or occidentalisation , is a process whereby societies come under or adopt Western culture in such matters as industry, technology, law, politics, economics, lifestyle, diet, language, alphabet,...
societies. It is the membership of these spaces that determines a male's manhood, while failing to get a membership of this space amounts to being denied manhood, and to be liable to queerhood, i.e. to be counted as a 'third gender' or a non-man male.
In non-westernized cultures, most traditional spaces are divided into men's spaces , women's spaces and third gender
Third gender
The terms third gender and third sex describe individuals who are categorized as neither man nor woman, as well as the social category present in those societies who recognize three or more genders...
spaces. The entry or participation of women in these men's spaces is highly restricted. Entry of third genderered persons into men's spaces is also regulated, although with more freedom than women to partake in these spaces.
Although these spaces are restricted for women, Western women who want to study these spaces are often allowed entry.
History of men's spaces
In the early days of human civilizaton, as proven by several indigenous and aboriginal tribes, boys, along with other children, lived in women's spaces till they reached puberty, after which they generally had to undergo 'manhood tests' or 'rites of passage into manhood' in order to be initiated into men's spaces.The manhood tests became more and more torturous with time during which men were expected not to show the slightest sign of pain or sigh. Boys who failed these tests were denied membership of men's spaces, which amounted to denying manhood and being emasculated, and were isolated as one of the third genders, deprived of social rights and privileges available to 'men.' This was a fate worse than death for masculine gendered males.
The feminine gendered males, i.e. the third gender
Third gender
The terms third gender and third sex describe individuals who are categorized as neither man nor woman, as well as the social category present in those societies who recognize three or more genders...
s were in some tribes exempt from manhood tests and were raised as third genders from early childhood, when they showed what is today known as "Gender incongruent behaviour."
In what are considered modern civilizations, it is still of great importance to be counted as one of the men. It can even be a matter of life and death for masculine gendered males. - and to be isolated as a 'third gender' remains severely stigmatizing for masculine gendered males.
Effects of westernization on men's spaces
The process of Westernization breaks this cultural segregation of social spaces by gender, and restructures the society on the basis of the Western concept of sexual orientationSexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
, through a process called heterosexualization.
Some in the Western World think men's spaces are discriminatory toward the rights of women
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
, and therefore fit for abolition. This is due to an overlap of previously all-male spaces and what was considered the "old boy network
Old boy network
An old boy network, or society, can refer to social and business connections among former pupils of male-only private schools. British public school students were traditionally called "boys", thus graduated students are "old boys"....
" - channels of social and financial upward mobility that were conducted in all-male spaces. All-female spaces are generally viewed as beneficial for women, which would seemingly be hypocritical except for this reason: all-female spaces have not historically tended to be restrictive of male financial and social upward mobility and power.
There are hardly any exclusively-male spaces in western culture now, and even former strongholds of men's spaces like military forces and sports have increasingly become gender neutral.
See also
- Male bondingMale bondingMale bonding is a term that is used in ethology, social science, and in general usage to describe patterns of friendship and/or cooperation in men...
- Man caveMan caveA man cave, sometimes a mantuary or manspace, is a male sanctuary, such as a specially equipped garage, spare bedroom, media room, den, or basement...
- Men's rights movement in IndiaMen's rights movement in IndiaThe men's rights movement in India is associated with various men's rights organizations.-History:The Indian men's rights movement was started by Ram Prakash Chugh in Delhi in the early 1980s in response to domestic violence legislation that was passed in the Indian parliament and the alleged...
- Human male sexualityHuman male sexualityHuman male sexuality covers physiological, psychological, social, cultural, and political aspects of the human male sexual response and related phenomenon...