CULTURE, CULTURE, CULTURE
*Warning! This post is pretty long!*
This is interesting. "Being a man" means different things in different cultures. In this exposition, I delved into a couple of cultures and discovered each culture's definition of man. Now, be aware that what I will talk about in this post is the predominant or major characteristic of manhood in said culture. However, also be advised that sometimes it is not the only view on the subject. With that being said, let's begin with...
Mexico
Mexico is the home of the "macho" man. Yes, you've probably heard of the macho man. Well, the word "macho" comes from the Spanish word "macho," which comes from the Latin "mascŭlus", which means "male." And in Hispanic culture, that's what it's about: the male. The man is the head of the house, and he is proud of it. The woman should stay home and make sure that woman's work is done (the dishes should be washed, the laundry should be done, no surface should be dusty, meals should be quickly prepared for the man of the house.) The man goes out to "provide" for the family, bringing food and money into the house. He must be seen as the one calling the shots, the wife should be subserviant. Marital tension comes about if the woman goes out to hang out with friends or even to work. Women really shouldn't be in the workplace, and it's shameful for a man to have a female boss. Also, being macho also has some things to do with being able to conquer a woman. The more the better. This is Machismo, or "macho-ism," in which the man is essentially all that matters.
This is a lot to take in! I really do feel for the women in these cultures. However, it seems this cultural view is slowly on the decline. With more and more women working places, women are starting to be seen differently. And then there's the media.
Televisa, a Mexican television network, has an ongoing telenovela (soap opera) called Por Ella Soy Eva (For Her, I am Eva). This series is about a man named Juan Carlos Caballero, who works at Grupo Imperio, or the Imperial Group. He is a man, with many physical conquests to boast about and a very macho outlook on life. However, he falls in love with a woman he met named Helena after he disguised himself to try and steal her ludicrous project idea for a tourist attraction. He starts to change for her when suddenly, he's framed for a multi-million dollar embezzlement and he's getting chased off a cliff by the police. So he's believed to be dead, even though he got out and survived before the accident. Now living incognito, Juan Carlos takes on yet another disguise and becomes Eva María León Jaramillo in order to stay close to Helena while finding evidence to prove his innocence.
I tell the story of this drama because Juan Carlos, now having to wear heels and a wig, has to see life from a woman's perspective in the culture he once embraced. It's really interesting to see how he reacts to the way men treat him(her) and how he changes. I think it's good that this series is out because it seems to shed light on the issue of machismo. People across Mexico will have to think about the way things are and whether or not they should stay that way. If you can understand extensive Spanish, you should look for this series. You might like it.
So, the big point about the definition of man according to Mexico is domination. I think that's a good word. Men must be in control of everything-their household, their work positions, other women. Domination. Boom.
South Africa
In South Africa, there are a couple of ways to become a man. Apparently, circumcision is the norm. However, if for some reason or another one is not circumcised, he must prove his manhood by raping a girl. That's right. He's got to rape a girl. According to crime statistics (provided below), South Africa leads the whole world in rape. Here are a couple of statements I kept finding:
- "A woman in South Africa is more likely to be raped than learn to read."
- "A woman was raped in South Africa every 17 seconds"
-"Rape is an expression of male sexual entitlement," said Jewkes. "South Africa is an immensely patriarchal society. The history of the country has shaped the dominant forms of South Africa's racially defined masculinities."
This is pretty sad. No. It's not. This is incredibly upsetting. (In addition to all this, there is also a significant percentage of baby rapes because "according to legend," Having a physical relationship with a virgin will cure HIV/AIDS. However, it seems that the majority of other rapes occur as a rite of passage into manhood.)
So, that's what it means to become a man according to South African tradition.
I would like to stay on the topic of South Africa, but move away from manhood for a little while to say that there is hope for women. I came across some articles (below) about a man who raped a girl when he was a boy in order to become a man. However, he felt very bad for most of his life, so he actually tracked her down many many years later to apologize. The woman said she would try to forgive him, and she charged him with telling others how bad it is to rape people. So people, let's pray for Dumisani Rebombo as he goes about his task. Let's pray for South Africa.
Articles:
-http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-07-09-in-south-africa-rape-is-linked-to-manhood/
-http://www.thebody.com/content/art52662.html
-http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/05/world/africa/south-africa-rape/index.html
Stats:
-http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/reports/crimestats/2011/crime_situation_sa.pdf
-http://www.rape.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=875:rape-statistics-south-africa-a-worldwide-2010&catid=65:resources&Itemid=137
China
I found a book by David Gilmore entitled Manhood in the Making: Cultural Concepts of Masculinity. I found this book pretty helpful. It describes the elements of "being a man" in a couple of different cultures. I will use it to talk about China (if you are interested in any other of these cultures, you can probably find this book at any nearby college library.)
Even in China, culture dictates that a man should be "dominant." However, unlike other cultures, this domination is not necessarily seen through the conquest of women or man-centered machismo. Rather, Manhood is defined in China by Independence and Honor. Here's what Gilmore wrote in his book:
"The ideal man, according to their informants, must display 'courage, self-confidence,' and other attribues of what the people refer to as ' manly temperament...'This term...is loosely described as having to do with moral bravery and initiative in the workplace. A 'real man' is disciplined and independent, especially of women...He is never a complainer, a clinger, or a toady. (Gilmore 171)"
Gilmore goes on to describe that "manly temperament" consists of three things:
1)Firmness/Decisiveness-Important for making choices
2)Strength-Both physical and mental
3)Devotion to Work-"most distinguising" quality
Men must also respect elders, especially those in their families.
As silly as this may sound, this reminds me of Disney's Mulan. Everything that matters is family honor. In Fa Zhou, one can see the firmness, strength (mental, his physical strength is waning) and devotion of a man. In "I'll make a man out of you," all of the men from the training camp are obviously still learning to become men: Their decisiveness is shaky, their strength is low and they are not very devoted to their task until the end of the song.
So there you have it.
Mexico, South Africa, China. These places are on different parts of the globe, yet now we see that the quest for becoming a true man is one the entire human race is a part of. As we can now see, there are many different approaches right now. Let's see if in the posts to come I can manage to connect them all!
In the mean time, pray for these places, so that true manhood can be discovered, spread and embraced. I mentioned South Africa already, but also, pray for Mexico and China. Pray for the men. Pray for the women.
Until next time.
