Masculinity's Evolution: A Chronicle of Enforcing Extreme Maleness
American men have been the subject of heated debate for decades, with claims ranging from disintegrating vitality to laziness and effeminacy. In his upcoming documentary, "The End of Men," Fox News host Tucker Carlson laments the "collapse of testosterone levels" in American males, arguing that modern society has emasculated American men. However, these assertions are not novel; they form part of a long-standing tradition of skeptics voicing their concerns about the declining masculinity of American men.
Dr. Conor Heffernan, Assistant Professor of Physical Culture and Sport Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, offers insight into this enduring narrative. Throughout the 20th century, hustlers and politicians have warned that society is undermining the strength, drive, and aggression of American men, linking physical weakness with moral decay and a weakening of character. Social problems have been cited as evidence, and calls to action frequently triggered anxieties about a stronger foreign enemy.
In the 1930s, fitness entrepreneur Charles Atlas launched an incredibly successful campaign to build "he-men," promising to turn weaklings into champions. His cartoon advertisement, "The Insult that Made a Man Out of Mac," portrayed a 97-pound weakling humiliated by stronger men on the beach, who subsequently transformed himself through Atlas' workout course and reclaims his power. This message resonated with millions of young Americans, and the campaign was widely promoted in comic books and pop culture magazines.
During the Great Depression, unemployment was often perceived as a sign of physical weakness, and fitness entrepreneurs like Charles Atlas and Mark Berry capitalized on this sentiment. Berry, a weightlifting coach and fitness writer, argued that the Depression was, in part, a result of the weakness of American men, advocating a regimen of milk consumption and squats to promote physical strength as a means of economic protection.
Fitness evangelist Bernarr Macfadden espoused similar views, advocating for strong government intervention in fitness, vegetarian diets, and rigorous physical education in schools. He contrasted the perceived physical frailty of American society with what he saw as the muscular, disciplined yet dictatorial regimes of fascist countries like Italy and Portugal. Macfadden's magazine, Physical Culture, also promoted a variety of bizarre remedies for revitalizing American men, from fasting to all-milk diets.
As the narrative of declining masculinity moved into politics, it took on a different flavor during the Cold War, spurred by concern about the potential superiority of the Soviet Union's physical fitness compared to America's. The USSR's investment in gymnastics and sports was seen as evidence of physical strength and national vigor, prompting a wave of soul-searching in democratic countries. In the U.K., this led to the establishment of state-run fitness programs designed to mimic the fascist zeal for fitness.
In America, concerns about physical weakness and national security culminated in the creation of the President's Council on Youth Fitness under President Eisenhower in 1956 and intensified under President Kennedy with his encouragement of physical fitness among American citizens. The term "muscle gap" was coined to describe a perceived disparity in physical strength between American and Soviet men, with a soft body perceived as indicative of a soft mind and susceptibility to communist ideas.
Despite the fall of the Soviet Union, concerns about weakening American men continue in contemporary political discourse. In recent years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expressed concern about obesity threatening national security, while Senator Josh Hawley has argued that changing gender norms are destabilizing men's sense of purpose. The social reasons cited in Carlson's documentary for the decline of men represent the latest iteration of this enduring narrative, which has evolved to incorporate vaccine skepticism, fears of declining birthrates, and anti-intellectualism.
Examining the history of this narrative raises questions about the basis for comparison of contemporary American men. What golden standard are they being measured against? Analyzing the factors that have contributed to this narrative's persistence—cultural nostalgia, societal shifts, and the media's portrayal of masculinity—reveals a complex interplay of historical, social, and political factors that continue to shape public perceptions of American masculinity.
- The ongoing narrative of weakening American men has been a recurring topic in health-and-wellness discussions, with concerns about declining testosterone levels in men being addressed by scientists and fitness enthusiasts alike.
- In political circles, the debate about the state of American men has persisted, touching upon topics such as mental health, with some arguing that changing gender norms are affecting men's sense of purpose.
- Beyond the realm of health and wellness, the narrative of declining masculinity has intertwined with general news and even politics, creating a complex interplay between cultural nostalgia, societal shifts, and the media's portrayal of masculinity.
