“Psychologists call this paradox “precarious manhood.” In an influential 2012 paper for Psychology of Men & Masculinity, psychology professors Joseph Vandello and Jennifer Bosson defined it as “hard won and easily lost,” writing: The precarious manhood thesis has three basic tenets: First, manhood is widely viewed as an elusive, achieved status, or one that must be earned (in contrast to womanhood, which is an ascribed, or assigned, status). Second, once achieved, manhood status is tenuous and impermanent; that is, it can be lost or taken away. Third, manhood is confirmed primarily by others and thus requires public demonstrations of proof. In other words, men are allegedly the “stronger” sex, but their status is forever ephemeral. One small slip-up — a bright pink shirt, a girlish scream, a same-sex sexual encounter — and your “manhood” can be stripped away, perhaps permanently, leaving men who buy into this system in a constant state of anxiety, which ironically makes them seem fragile and paranoid. This is the standard form of masculinity in the MAGA world. Donald Trump epitomizes it, of course. He’s forever bragging about how strong and tough and perfect he is, but he’s also forever whining, accusing everyone else of trying to undermine, cheat or demean him for no legitimate reason. He wants people to believe he’s all man, but he views his manhood as something that everyone wants to steal from him just for the hell of it. Trump’s followers never notice, because they live in the same world, where “real” manhood is both essential and impossible. The rise of authoritarianism is always intertwined with precarious masculinity. It contains the very same paradox. Authoritarians claim to be “strong,” but in reality, they are so weak they cannot withstand dissent or diversity. They crave control because freedom scares them.”
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