Sensitive Cowboys

Abstract

In the past few decades, a multi-billion-dollar "therapeutic boarding school" industry has emerged for America's troubled upper-class youth. This article examines the therapeutic models prominent in these programs and the ways they conflict with dominant notions of masculinity. Using in-depth interviews and ethnographic fieldwork inside a Western therapeutic boarding school, I show how privileged young men navigate this masculinity dilemma by constructing hybrid masculinities that incorporate qualities associated with femininities and subordinate masculinities. However, these qualities are incorporated strategically and in ways that reproduce and obscure privileges associated with students' positions as young, upper-class, white men. Using hybrid masculine styles that include humility, commitment to service, and open emotional expression, students reassert dominant positions as leaders and as "better" men in contrast to various others.

A new generation of business masculinity? Privileged high school boys in a gender egalitarian context

“…But these actions could also be seen as a way of compensating for an image of being privileged and soft West End boysas posing a 'masculinity dilemma'. But contrary to Pfaffendorf's (2017) interviewees, this is not dealt with by incorporating femininities or subordinated masculinities, but by the closing of certain arenas as 'only for them'. It is not the 'tough and rough' East End boys that set the standard, but themselves.…”

“…In accordance with larger international changes, norms of gender equality have become more dominant and there is, in general, a larger acceptance of 'softer' masculinities (Halrynjo, Kitterød, and Teigen 2015). As Pfaffendorf (2017) argues, there may now be an increased possibility to navigate what she dubs the 'masculinity dilemma'in which a dominant position can be upheld at the same time as traits associated with femininities or subordinated masculinities are strategically incorporated into 'hybrid masculinity styles'. Young, privileged men of today may thus embrace a wider range of masculinities than before.…”

“…The literature on 'hybrid masculinities' emphasises that it may now be easier to distance oneself from masculine stereotypesby, for instance, reconfiguring different elements of masculinity and femininity into more flexible and 'hybrid' masculinities (Pfaffendorf 2017). But there are also perspectives indicating that a more traditional 'business masculinity' could still be hegemonic (Connell and Messerschmidt 2005).…”

Gendering the Boy Scouts: Examining Hegemonic Masculinity at a Co-Ed Backpacking Camp

“…Although Mountain View's participants come from all over the United States and even internationally, Eric and Alexander specifically identified adult Boy Scout leaders from the geographic South as the individuals who are sexist. In contrast, Eric described himself as needing to remain "professional" during interactions with such crews, demonstrating a sense of superiority to men with regressive, less socially aware masculinities (Wilkins 2009;Pfaffendorf 2017).…”

“…Here, men may assume more stereotypical feminine qualities, such as talking openly about their feelings, and in doing so, realign themselves with hegemonic masculine privileges that ultimately benefit them. Potential benefits of using a hybrid masculinity include: attracting women (Wilkins 2009), dominance over other, "lesser" men through their demonization (Weber 2012;Pascoe and Hollander 2015;Pfaffendorf 2017), and subtly preserving gender and sexual boundaries (Bridges 2010). In contrast to the largely hollow allyship of hybrid masculinity, Delay and Dyment (2003) suggest that real strides towards equality in industries such as outdoor education can be accomplished by men using their masculine privileges to engage in discussions about and ultimately dismantle structural sexism and exclusion.…”