Definition of Masculinity

                Masculinity is an idea that has been portrayed in the media in several different ways. After watching the movie “I Love You Man” I saw several of the modern views of masculinity. It isn’t until the protagonist, Pete, is about to wed, that he is awaken from the reality that he has no guy friends. All of a sudden the fear that something may be wrong with him grows within those that are close to him. Through the course of the film, he is seen as weird and even gay due to the fact that his only friends have always been girls. His character portrays a different type of masculinity that trespasses the boundaries that society imposes on males. This film portrays what happens when a male is not into what a man should be, such as beer, muscles and talk about women.

It isn’t until he meets Sydney that he begins to travel on a journey to find his masculinity. As the film continues we find that what was once considered the ideal male, may no longer be today. Though his feminine tendencies and the masculine traits he ought to acquire, Pete realizes that there is a middle ground. This middle ground is what many search for today as well. It is no better for a man to be too masculine that it is to be too feminine. Males who portray machismo are seen as jerks or oppressors and those that are feminine are seen as feeble and often times, gay. Therefore, the film shows that today we take on a different version of masculinity. This supports the idea that terms are constantly changing. The definition of masculinity changed to include aspects of both man and women.