Masculinity is in crisis. At least that’s the message that seems to emerge pretty much every day from the mainstream media. Broadsheets, Sunday supplements and radio and TV discussion programmes are full of straight men debating what it means to be a man, what constitutes modern masculinity, and whining about how difficult it is to respect themselves now that women are becoming more powerful and that male privilege is being eroded.
Well, first of all, they need to get over themselves. But more importantly, what about gay men and our relationship with our masculinity? Because it strikes me that this is much more complicated, intense and potentially troubling.