Hierarchies of Masculinity and Lad Culture on Campus: “Bad Guys”, “Good Guys”, and Complicit Men

Abstract

Research on ‘lad culture’ and gender-based violence (GBV) in student communities has examined ‘hypermasculine’ gender performances, with little attention paid to hierarchies of masculinity. We explore ‘lad culture’ by analysing qualitative, in-depth interviews with students. Our findings challenge simplistic constructions of ‘good guys’ as allies/protectors in opposition to hypermasculinised, deviant ‘bad guys’. We demonstrate how such binary constructions are premised upon gendered norms of men-as-protectors/women-as-weak, and bolster problematic hierarchies of masculinity. We also highlight the crucial role of complicit masculinity in maintaining GBV-tolerant cultures. Our research suggests academic understandings of lad culture could benefit from a more comprehensive picture of the relationship between masculinity/ies and campus GBV. By theorising complex negotiations of hegemonic masculinity in this context, the paper also advances conceptual debates around the promise/limitations of changing, ‘softer’ masculinities. Practice implications include rethinking how/whether prevention education can deploy ‘softer’ masculinities whilst avoiding reinstating gender hierarchies that ultimately scaffold GBV.

‘I would love to do something about it’: young men’s role in addressing violence against women in Ireland

“…The potential implication is that it is these 'bad guys' who need to be the target of gender justice interventions, not the 'good guys'. Fundamentally, we agree with others (Carline et al, 2018;Jordan et al, 2022) that the best way to anticipate and engage with these complexities is through interactive sessions (within bystander programmes and beyond) with male peer groups where real conversations and 'disruptive moments' can take place (Jordan et al, 2022: 715).…”

“…This is because meaningful change requires an examination of the inevitably discomforting behaviours and emotions underpinning boys' and men's complicities in gender injustice (Keddie, 2021). Relatedly, there is a tendency for those men who draw on notions of the 'protecter mindset' -as referenced by Sorcha for example -to construct themselves as the 'good guys' in opposition to the 'bad guys' who sexually violate women (Carline et al, 2018;Jordan et al, 2022). The potential implication is that it is these 'bad guys' who need to be the target of gender justice interventions, not the 'good guys'.…”

“…Indeed Carrie (female, 22) did feel that men's motivation to intervene can be about 'put [ting] someone-oneself across as the better guy'. Such motivations have been problematised in the literature (Kaya et al, 2020;Leone et al, 2020;Jordan et al, 2022), as they can rely on rigid gender constructions, where women are constructed as helpless and men as strong. In contrast to these extrinsic motivations, it was perceived that such engagement can be developed by appealing to intrinsic values or the values that some young men already believe in.…”

South Africa’s male homicide epidemic hiding in plain sight: exploring sex differences and patterns in homicide risk in a retrospective descriptive study of postmortem investigations

“…Part of this may relate to prevailing gender norms in which men identify with the role of “protector”. (21) Defending honour and asserting dominance over others may increase men’s resistance in the face of conflict, in turn increasing the risk of fatal outcomes. This was shown in a recent South African study of co-occurring violence during robbery events in which male victims were significantly more at risk of a fatal outcome.…”

South Africa’s male homicide epidemic hiding in plain sight: Exploring sex differences and patterns in homicide risk in a retrospective descriptive study of postmortem investigations

“…South African data have consistently shown that men are not only the main perpetrators of violence, [5] they also have an overwhelmingly higher risk of violent death. Part of this may relate to prevailing gender norms in which men identify with the role of "protector" [21]. Defending honour and asserting dominance over others may increase men's resistance in the face of conflict, in turn increasing the risk of fatal outcomes.…”