1. The article examines the role of male gender norms in perpetuating violence against women, using R.W. Connell's notion of hegemonic masculinity.
2. The article discusses the implications for entertainment-education (EE) programs that seek to promote gender equality by modeling alternative forms of masculinity and sparking critical dialogue about gender-equitable masculine norms.
3. The article highlights five specific ways in which men can be represented in media campaigns with EE components: invisible men, men as perpetrators, men as allies, men as agents in challenging hegemonic masculinity, and men as agents in redefining manhood.
The article "Masculinity matters: Using entertainment education to engage men in ending violence against women in India" by Charlotte Lapsansky and Joyee S. Chatterjee explores the role of male gender norms in perpetuating violence against women and discusses the implications for entertainment-education (EE) programs that seek to promote gender equality by modeling alternative forms of masculinity and sparking critical dialogue about gender-equitable masculine norms.
The authors use R.W. Connell's notion of hegemonic masculinity to examine the issue, which is a useful framework for understanding how cultural ideals of masculinity are constructed and maintained through social institutions, practices, and discourses. The article highlights the importance of engaging men in promoting women's human rights and ending domestic violence, as one in every three women in the world will be beaten, raped or otherwise abused during her lifetime.
The authors provide a case study of media campaigns by Breakthrough, an NGO that has produced a number of media and EE initiatives to address violence against women. They highlight five specific ways in which men can be represented in media campaigns with EE components: invisible men; men as perpetrators; men as allies; men as agents in challenging hegemonic masculinity; and men as agents in redefining manhood.
While the article provides valuable insights into the issue at hand, there are some potential biases and missing points of consideration. For example, while the authors acknowledge that gender identities are fluid and not monolithic, they do not explore how this might impact their analysis or recommendations. Additionally, while they note that evaluations have shown that some EE programs unintentionally perpetuate hegemonic masculine norms, they do not provide evidence for this claim or explore counterarguments.
Furthermore, while the article focuses on engaging men as advocates for women's rights, it does not fully consider possible risks or unintended consequences of such efforts. For example, it is possible that focusing too much on changing male behavior could reinforce gender power hierarchies or undermine long-term social change goals.
Overall, "Masculinity matters" provides a useful framework for understanding how cultural ideals of masculinity contribute to violence against women and highlights important strategies for addressing this issue through EE programs. However, further exploration is needed to fully understand the complexities involved and potential risks associated with these efforts.