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(I) Background: The aim of the present study was to assess the psychophysiological changes experienced by male academy soccer players in relation to venue. The team was matched to opponents who were deemed to be of a similar standard to the reference team; this was ascertained by the previous season's league standing and coach ratings of opposition. (2) Methods: The sample comprised 14 male ([M.sub.age] = 17.21, SD = .43) academy soccer players who competed for a Premier League Academy team. Salivary cortisol (C) and testosterone (T) levels were monitored at four time points (1 hour before, 30 minutes before, 30 minutes after and 1 hour after) across four competitive fixtures both at home and away, and a baseline training measure. Players also completed psychometric measures of sport emotion and social evaluation. (3) Results Findings showed that T was significantly higher after three defeats compared to training and the home win. Similarly, C was greater 30 minutes post-match compared to other timepoints. (4) Conclusions: In keeping with previous research, there were mixed findings in relation to anxiety and social evaluation. The current study provides further evidence that the relationship between endocrine responses, venue and psychological indicators are highly complex, and results may vary due to team levels, individual differences, opposition characteristics and venue. Keywords: testosterone; cortisol; soccer; playing venue; competition; social evaluation, Introduction The home advantage (HA) pertains to the 'consistent finding that home teams in sport competitions win over 50% of the games played under a balanced home and away schedule' [...]

The evolution of men's fashion and lifestyle magazines in Spain since the 1970s reflects shifts in male identity, influenced by the country's transition from dictatorship to democracy and the liberalizing period of el Destape. This study examines how these magazines capture the adaptations of the "modern man", emphasizing his pursuit of freedom and alignment with global trends. By analyzing the content of men's magazines and contrasting them with women's publications, this study identifies gendered consumption patterns and the role of magazines as both historical records and consumer products. Comparisons reveal how men and women were positioned as both subjects and objects. Results show that men's magazines initially centered on lifestyle and erotic themes, with successful titles like MAN outlasting less defined publications. Over time, male-targeted magazines broadened their content, increasingly presenting men as consumers of lifestyle topics. This shift parallels the growth of new male-focused magazines since the 2000s, which now leverage social media-driven trends to attract audiences. The study concludes that these magazines have not only shaped male identity but have also reflected capitalist consumer strategies, adapting to digital contexts. Modern male lifestyle magazines, while diversifying themes, remain influenced by traditional gender dynamics that underscore male dominance in cultural narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Masculinity and men’s studies, initially seen as one particular section of explorations of what it means to be a man, appeared as a secondary field, even if linked to Simone de Beauvoir’s “the first sex.” In de Beauvoir’s feminist manifesto of the second wave, “woman” apparently had an identity of her own, but was only defined as being the absence, the “lack,” the Other, against which man defined himself. The current essay examines the historicity of gender roles and the developing contexts in which perceptions of them and theories about them are largely defined by new contexts for which the activation of hegemonic or feminine masculinities, for example, is more than a reasonable choice. The last section engages with literary responses to masculinity as articulated by Lowell, Vonnegut, and Heller in a less-than-heroic age where significant masculinity shifts emerged in American fiction as well.

Masculinity and men's studies, initially seen as one particular section of explorations of what it means to be a man, appeared as a secondary field, even if linked to Simone de Beauvoir's "the first sex." In de Beauvoir's feminist manifesto of the second wave, "woman" apparently had an identity of her own, but was only defined as being the absence, the "lack," the Other, against which man defined himself. The current essay examines the historicity of gender roles and the developing contexts in which perceptions of them and theories about them are largely defined by new contexts for which the activation of hegemonic or feminine masculinities, for example, is more than a reasonable choice. The last section engages with literary responses to masculinity as articulated by Lowell, Vonnegut, and Heller in a less-than-heroic age where significant masculinity shifts emerged in American fiction as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basson's 'sexual response model' may have been developed to more accurately represent women's sexual interests and behaviour – to challenge previous sexual desire models based on men's sexuality – but in sex therapy practice, it appears to sanction men's right to define and govern heterosexual interactions. Close readings of Basson's case studies show how, instead of helping men better understand and adapt to women's sexual needs, the sexual response model's therapeutic goal consists of helping women better understand and adapt to men's sexual needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this contribution, I consider some appreciative links and qualified connections between Raewyn Connell's work and my own. In particular, I use the example of sport, a key area in the making of boys and young men in many parts of the world, with special reference to body, practice, and theoretical and empirical conceptualizations of masculinity. Keywords: body, boyhood, masculinity, sport, young men, So, where to start? I first encountered Raewyn Connell in the early 1980s at long distance, through texts; that is, via her drafts (I think mimeograph was the term) of [...]

Raewyn Connell's work foregrounds bodies in a way that challenges the social-constructionist orientation that has dominated much of the critical research on masculinities. Yet, her concept of 'body-reflexive practices' is one of the least explored aspects of her work. In this commentary, I argue that body-reflexive practices, as the concept is developed in The Men and the Boys, points in the direction of a potentially productive convergence between masculinity studies and new materialist theories. In its engagement with the nature of bodies underlying the cultural construction of gender, Connell's work maintains a relevance that has been largely unappreciated. This is especially the case for boys and young men as they develop masculinities in negotiation with their corporeal capacities. Keywords: affect, bodies, cathexis, complexity, nature, Gender is the way bodies are drawn into history; bodies are arenas for the making of gender patterns (Connell 2000: 12). Raewyn Connell's work has always foregrounded the importance of [...]

Men comprise a small minority of the nursing workforce and there has been little increase in the numbers of men in nursing during the last three decades. This study investigated lived experiences of male nurses to understand reasons men remain a small percentage of the nursing workforce. Participants shared similar and diverse experiences. Findings included focused discussion on participants' career motivations and strategies for success in nursing. Motivators included family influences, desire to care, and job benefits. Success strategies included assimilation, organizational involvement, and mentorship. This study highlights the need for nurses to be ambassadors for diversity and inclusivity and can be used to improve nursing recruitment efforts aimed at men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men's experiences with sexual violence is an understudied topic within sociological literature. Despite the few past research endeavors that have focused on men, little is known regarding the ways that men college students grapple with their lived experiences with sexual violence. Using a sample of 29 active men college students, semi-structured interviews were conducted in order to investigate the ways in which men conceptualize their experiences with sexual violence in their own words. Results indicate that masculinity is intimately connected to sexual violence victimhood, as men can consider themselves victims, but in very distinct ways. Masculinity also acts as a sort of "buffer," in that many men who were interviewed for this research describe their experiences with sexual violence in ways that are similar to women's experiences, but they also express difficulty in accurately framing these experiences using linguistic framing mechanisms. Future directions for research are also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animated movies can be treated as one of the forms of cultural transmission that can be a source of gender stereotypes. Therefore, they are involved in the process of constructing images of femininity and masculinity, especially among young viewers. The author of this article presents what are, in his opinion, the most popular ways of categorizing masculinity, and then juxtaposes them with the typology of masculine characters presented in contemporary animated films. The empirical material used in the study is based on a qualitative content analysis carried out on the fifteen most popular titles from the years 2011–2015. Certain difficulties regarding the description of the characters presented in animated films, using categories from classical theories of masculinity, are indicated. The author presents a new category of masculinity – selective masculinity.

Men aged 85 years and over have the highest rate of suicide of any age or gender group in Australia. However, little is known about their trajectory toward suicide. The objective of this study was to understand the role of masculine norms and other life factors in the suicidality of older men. Thirty-three men aged 80 years or more took part in a semistructured focus group or interview, and/or completed a survey. Participants were asked about the issues facing older men, well-being and aging, physical health challenges, social support, mental health and help-seeking, and suicide and suicide prevention. Five themes emerged: “finding out we’re not invincible,” “active and tough,” “strong silent types,” “decision makers,” and “right to die.” Participants spoke about masculine norms that had influenced their lives as providers and decision makers, and now influenced how they coped with aging and their journey toward death. For some participants, suicide was seen to be a rational alternative to dependence in their final years. Suicide prevention should adopt a gendered approach and be cognizant of the influence of gender roles and masculinity in older men’s lives. Further research and prevention efforts should be mindful of the impact of masculine norms of self-reliance and control on an older man’s decision to end his life. Suicide prevention efforts should work to reduce stigma around the challenges of aging, maximize opportunities for control, facilitate social connection, and improve residential aged care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is common among athletes following sport injury, yet few studies have explored the severity of postinjury depression. Among those studies, only one examined gender differences although women in the general population are more likely than men to experience depression. No research to date has used interviews to assess depression despite their standard use among mental health professionals. In a quasi-experimental design, we used a self-report checklist and a clinical interview to compare depression among male and female athletes at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months postinjury. Results revealed significant effects of group (injured vs. control) and time (since injury), and these effects were different for the two depression measures. We also explored the sensitivity and specificity of the user-rated checklist in identifying severely depressed athletes compared with the interview. Findings underscore the importance of multimodal approaches and clinical judgment when evaluating athletes' postinjury depression symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the lack of male enrolments in training courses dedicated to educational and caring professions. A study carried out by the author with male university students who have known how to move outside the “gender cages” by enrolling in broadly feminised courses of study, allows us to pinpoint a plurality of social and cultural factors that discourage young men from approaching knowledge and practices historically unrelated to their gender. This contribution also intends to highlight the lack of attention paid to the promotion of gender equality in the Italian school and training context, particularly in terms of educational orientation

Men's conformity to masculine norms, such as stoicism and self-reliance, has been shown to be associated with a range of negative psychological outcomes. We developed Man Up —a three-part documentary that examined the link between masculinity, mental health, and suicide for men in Australia. We conducted a multifaceted evaluation that included a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a web survey. RCT participants and web survey respondents were asked how their views of the term "man up" had changed since watching the documentary. This article provides feedback from the 306 men who responded to this question. Participants commented on how the documentary prompted them to rethink stereotypes of masculinity. The findings suggest that the documentary had a positive impact on men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the current study was to understand older African American men's perceptions of and experiences with patient-provider communication during primary care medical visits. Fifteen African American men age 50 and older participated in individual semistructured interviews. Open-ended questions focused on their primary care therapeutic alliance, preferences for decision-making, self-efficacy, patient satisfaction, communication, and companion participation during primary care medical visits. Emergent themes included the perception of rushed and inattentive care related to low socioeconomic status, inadequate information exchange about medical testing and follow-up care, welcoming the help of highly engaged companions, and proactively preparing for medical visits. Participants' assertiveness, confidence, and persistence with health providers regarding agenda setting for their care were most prevalent and contradict extant literature portraying African American men as less engaged or informed patients. Older African American men, particularly those with low socioeconomic status, may benefit from additional support and advocacy to consistently receive patient centered care and communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive research has documented how hegemonic conceptions of masculinity shape men's behaviors, beliefs, and health. However, most research focuses on younger men and most datasets of aging adults do not include measures of masculinity. This two-pronged omission renders older men relatively invisible. Part of the reason for this invisibility is the lack of reliable, validated measures of masculinity applicable to aging men. In this project, we document, describe, and validate an eight-item hegemonic masculinity measure administered to more than 1,000 older men (~65 years old). Multivariate analyses predicting gender-typed hobbies consistently validate this Hegemonic Masculinity for Older Men Scale (HMOMS), pointing to the HMOMS as an exciting new option for further exploring the nuances and correlates of masculinity ideals among aging men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the lack of male enrolments in training courses dedicated to educational and caring professions. A study carried out by the author with male university students who have known how to move outside the "gender cages" by enrolling in broadly feminised courses of study, allows us to pinpoint a plurality of social and cultural factors that discourage young men from approaching knowledge and practices historically unrelated to their gender. This contribution also intends to highlight the lack of attention paid to the promotion of gender equality in the Italian school and training context, particularly in terms of educational orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men think about sex ... a lot. Is this a problem or is this a site for reformation? In this paper, we set out to think actively, deeply, about the question of sexuality, to penetrate the limits of men and masculinity studies, and to tease at a range of questions that it seems the field is not attending to for any number of reasons. When men's studies scholars speak of sex, we often speak of rape culture, violent sex, ideas of entitlement to sex, sex workers and pornography. Many of these approaches would be framed and understood by many as 'sex negative.' This paper sets out to think about what a 'sex positive' vision of men's studies might look like - and also to ask if a sex positive vision of the field is even possible, desirable or necessary. In this paper, we braid together sex positive feminist theory, queer theory and men's studies to complicate the matter of sexuality, both as an actual site of the kinds of things we do, and as a site of psychic and affective possibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses critical and cultural studies approaches to popular media analysis. The concept of ideal subject position is presented as a useful tool for the analysis of media texts. Applying this concept to a case study of Sports Illustrated supports the argument that Sports Illustrated texts beckon consumers who are white, Western, affluent, Christian, heterosexual men. The political implications of this analysis are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of research conducted across several men’s focus groups in coordination with Maschile Plurale, this essay engages the topic of Men’s Studies. Beginning with an introduction to the scientific and social debate on masculinity, the essay provides a cross-examination of empirical data across multiple themes including male body, care practices, and self-listening. A framework emerges which confirms a contemporary male ambivalence balanced between stigmatized patriarchal models, and newer modes of behavior not yet consolidated. Even men who practice self-reflection, and are therefore aware of their attitudes, affirm the difficulties of masculine intimacy. An example is reticence toward physical contact with other men, which even fatherhood, encouraging physical contact with one’s children, fails to ease. Emerging from the field however, is the heuristic value of qualitative research that engage men “in transformation”; significant not only to close gaps in our understanding of these issues, but also as a transformative practice in sociocultural reality.

In the present work, we aim at discussing the construction of subjectivity in relation to gender categories, especially in regards to male identity, in Caio Fernando Abreu’s first novel White Limit (Original title: Limite branco, 1970). We believe that the protagonist’s process of aging, alongside with his subject’s formation, in the narrative, takes us to face a fluidity, which puts at stake the notions of what is taken for granted as appropriate for the individual. Studies on the displacement of the contemporary subject, Gender Studies, and on men's studies in particular, will serve as the theoretical apparatus for the discussions raised here.

How might the science of men’s health progress if research on marginalized or subordinated men is moved from the margins of the literature to the center? This commentary seeks to answer this question, suggesting that if more attention is paid to men of color and other marginalized men, the field will be greatly enriched in its ability to understand determinants of men’s health. Reimagining men’s health by moving men’s health disparities to a primary focus of the field may yield critical new insights that would be essential to moving men’s health to the center of health equity research. Focusing on the dual goals of improving the health of marginalized men and examining the determinants of disparities among men and between men and women will yield insights into mechanisms, pathways, and strategies to improve men’s health and address health disparities. Current definitions of health disparities limit the nation’s ability to dedicate resources to populations that need attention—men of color and other marginalized men—that do not fit these definitions. Moving marginalized men to the center of research in men’s health will foster new ways of understanding determinants of men’s health that cannot be identified without focusing on populations of men whose health is as influenced by race, ethnicity, and other structures of marginalization as it is by gender and masculinities. Using Black men as a case example, the article illustrates how studying marginalized men can refine the study of men’s health and health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the emphasis on studies of western masculinities has caused studies on local masculinities not only to be ignored but marginalised. The underrepresentation of studies relating to Asian masculinity, particularly on Malaysian men, has caused a significant gap in theorizing about Asian men in general and Malaysian men in particular. With globalization and the shift in societal expectations of gender roles, men are urged to redefine and reconstruct their contemporary identities in their personal and professional lives. Despite the growing interest in masculine studies, research concerning men, especially in the social transformation of masculinity within the contemporary society is largely absent. This study examined the perceptions and experiences of Malaysian men in their negotiation of masculinity. Drawing from in depth semi structured interviews and content analysis of survey questions, the study explores the discursive construction of new masculinity among 28 Malaysian men aged between 25-35. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was used for the analysis of interview transcripts. The study sought to investigate how new masculinity is constructed by analysing the interview discourse of the 28 respondents by paying close attention to the linguistic and lexical choices they used to describe masculine identities. This study examined whether the current notion of masculinity sustains or challenges the hegemonic concept. The findings of this study indicate that being seen as independent, competitive and a risk taker are among the important determinants of self-perceived masculinity. In some instances, traditional male identities which is linked with being dominant, muscular and being a provider are no longer considered as ultimate masculine identifications. The findings are of great importance to provide a refined and contextual understanding of how masculinity and complex male identities are constructed in contemporary society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This narrative is a story of the author's experience of miscarriage from a father's perspective combined with his role as an insider researcher qualitatively studying men's experiences of miscarriage. The author explores the dimensions of being an insider and outsider in the role of a father of miscarried children as well as in the role of a researcher. This is also a story of discovering how disenfranchised death separates us and has the potential to connect us. Lastly, this is a revelation about the unexpected disconnection that stems from being an insider researcher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This review article provides a thematic synthesis and overview of 30 years of research into the study of men and masculinity in men's magazines. Over 100 articles, book chapters, and books were reviewed to explore how scholars have approached the study of masculinity in such magazines and identify four major areas of inquiry: the commodification of masculinity; the relationship between sexism and misogyny in men's magazines and men's attitudes towards women; the vulnerability of men to, and the role of magazines in the construction of, men's body image anxieties; and the increasing sexualisation of men's bodies. The strengths and potential limitations of these four thematic approaches are identified, including an insufficiently nuanced account of the ways in which men might actually engage with images and ideas about masculinity in such magazines; an overly singular view of male sexuality that naturalises sexist and predatory behaviour; and an overemphasis on men's bodies as sites of vulnerability, risk, or crisis at the expense of more substantive considerations of the relationship between the representation of body modification practices and technologies, and men's embodied identities. The review concludes with an overview of the present field and some suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the development and validation of the Male Sexual Shame Scale (MSSS), which was designed to assess the components of sexual shame in men. Data came from two large, diverse, international online samples (n = 870 and n = 1,082). Factor analysis results evidenced six factors of male sexual shame, which yielded six subscales: Sexual Inexperience Distress, Masturbation/Pornography Remorse, Libido Distain, Body Dissatisfaction, Dystonic Sexual-Actualization, and Sexual Performance Insecurity. An additional three independent subscales emerged that were not indicative of sexual shame: Perceived High Libido, Sexual Harassment Stereotype Threat, and Homoerotic Guardedness. A partial confirmatory factor analysis, discriminant validity analysis, concurrent validity analysis, and reliability analyses supported the MSSS's theoretical framework. Implications for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the skillfully designed and highly merchandised figure of the otokoyaku - that is, the female impersonator of male roles in Takarazuka Revue, a hugely popular musical theatre in Japan, which celebrated its centennial in 2014. Takarazuka Revue's version of Gone with the Wind (officially inspired by Margaret Mitchell's novel, but in fact heavily relying on its film adaptation from 1938) is taken as an example of the ways in which producers of popular culture promote patterns of gender and race. The ambivalence of otokoyaku embodies both the struggles of masculinity as an ongoing project of defining the self in its own core identity and the fantasies of feminine power as a field of desire, resistance and negotiation in the modern world - Japan included. Premiered in 19771 and subsequently staged repeatedly over the next decades due to its unexpected box-office success, Takarazuka Revue's Gone with the Wind displays Japanese visions on love, family, historical heritage, gender roles and race hierarchies, thus transcending its American origins. It employs the otokoyaku in both main characters, the makeup and outfit visually highlighting Rhett Butler's idealised masculinity, on the one hand, and simultaneously reinforcing Scarlett O'Hara's 'failed femininity', on the other hand. In light of current discourses on 'herbivore men' (sôshoku[kei] danshi) and the loss of 'masculinity' in late-modern Japan, Takarazuka Revue version of Gone with the Wind from 2013 is critically observed, in the pursuit for answers to the question whether otokoyaku's highly stylised stature is a symbol or a symptom of the process of a fading 'white obsession' and the emergence of a 'masculinity of self-sufficiency' occurring currently worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores aspects of grief in men, integrating insights from recent scholarship on the grief of men and bereavement studies with male subjects. The paper draws on the phenomenological theory of Max van Manen, in particular van Manen's theory of 'phenomenological writing'. This theory is used to explore three important autobiographical accounts of grief: C. S. Lewis's volume A Grief Observed (1963), a memoir Lewis wrote at the time of the death of his wife; Nicholas Wolterstorff's important and still widely read volume Lament for a Son (1987) describing his personal wounding at the death of his son in a mountain-climbing accident; and Henri Nouwen's writings on the death of his mother (the first, In Memoriam (1980), is a journal of Nouwen's experiences of her death, and the second, A Letter of Consolation (1982), is a letter to his father). This paper depicts aspects of men's grief in conversation with contemporary scholarship in men's grief studies and theoretical scholarship on grief. The paper offers further insight into the complex reality of men's grief and explores some of the fundamental experiences of men who are mourning the loss of a loved one. The article concludes with a description of potential mourning strategies for men who are grieving and offers a perspective on the eventual transformation of grief into solace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The testicles are remarkably important to the construction of male identity. We tell men to "grow a pair." So what, we might ask, then is the place of the testicles in men's studies? Truth be told, the testicles have not occupied significant attention in gender studies, and certainly not in the same way as the phallus has. This article, therefore, seeks to position the testicles as an object of study in the field of men's studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men are generally thought to be less inclined to take care of their health. To date, most studies about men’s health have focused on deficits in self-care and difficulties in dealing with this sphere of their life. The present study reframes this perspective, using a salutogenic strengths-based approach and seeking to identify variables that influence men to take care of their health, rather than neglect it. This study focuses on the association between peer positive social control and men’s health behaviors, while controlling for other important individual and social determinants (sociodemographic characteristics, health self-efficacy, home neighborhood, spousal positive social control, and the restrictive emotionality norm). In a mixed-method study, 669 men answered a self-reported questionnaire, and interviews were conducted with a maximum variation sample of 31 men. Quantitative results indicated that, even after controlling for sociodemographic variables and other important factors, peer positive social control was significantly associated with the six health behaviors measured in the study (health responsibility, nutrition, physical activity, interpersonal relations, stress management, and spirituality). Interview results revealed that peer positive social control influenced men’s health behaviors through three different mechanisms: shared activity, being inspired, and serving as a positive role model for others. In summary, friends and coworkers could play a significant role in promoting various health behaviors among adult men in their daily life. Encouraging men to socialize and discuss health, and capitalizing on healthy men as role models appear to be effective ways to influence health behavior adoption among this specific population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]