Understanding masculinity

After four years of dedicated work, translator Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh (Ho Chi Minh City University of Education) has just released Raewyn Connell's *The Masculinity* to readers. The book is published by the Vietnam Women's Publishing House.

Speakers exchange views at the seminar on Masculinity and Masculinity. Photo: Thuy Trang

At the book launch of "Masculinity and Masculinity" recently held in Ho Chi Minh City, translator Nguyen Thi Minh stated: "This book is both a classic, opening up a new direction of research and changing the logic in gender studies, and contemporary, as it is still in the process of developing its theories."

An interesting book title.

The first impression many readers have when picking up a book is, first and foremost, the title. Why not "Masculinity," "Masculine Qualities," "Types of Masculinity," or "Masculinity," but instead "Masculinity"?

At the book launch, discussing this issue, linguist Associate Professor Bui Manh Hung stated: "Masculinity encompasses all forms of masculinity, considering it as a closed, already established system… In my opinion, there is no more suitable title to date."

Regarding this issue, the translator argues: “The choice of the plural form of “Masculinities” in the original title is not simply a matter of language, but reflects the overarching thesis of the entire work: masculinity is not a fixed or universal quality, but relational, always formed within specific social contexts and existing in many different forms. In other words, there is no single “masculinity” in the singular sense, only masculinities.”

According to the translator, “From its very title, *Masculinity* subtly re-establishes a seemingly obvious assumption: masculinity is not the only thing, nor is it an immutable stereotype imposed on all men. On the contrary, masculinity exists in many different forms, shaped within specific social, historical, and cultural circumstances, and always operating within power relations.”

Important contributions

It can be said that *Masculinity* is a meticulous work, combining sociological research with cultural, historical, political , anthropological, and philosophical analysis, along with specific, everyday stories. One of the interesting things about reading the book is the fluidity and dynamism in the author Raewyn Connell's writing style. "While the chapters on theory are dry and academically charged; the interview chapters are rich in everyday language and use a lot of slang; and the political chapters are written in a different style… Readers will find the translator's notes almost as important as the author's notes, because the translation process is also a dialogue, requiring extensive research," shared Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh.

“During the four years I worked on this book, I didn't work alone. I always envisioned a dialogue with what the author said, as well as a dialogue with the history of knowledge. Translating even a single word required extensive research. Readers will find a wealth of knowledge from many fields; the author draws from philosophy, sociology, anthropology, psychoanalysis… I hope that when reading this book, people will engage in a dialogue with the author, with the intellectuals, and with the translator.” - Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh

The book, over 460 pages long, is organized into three parts with ten chapters. Specifically, Part 1: Knowledge and the Problems of Knowledge includes three chapters: The Science of Masculinity, The Masculine Body, and The Social Organization of Masculinity. Part 2: Four Studies on the Dynamics of Masculinity includes the chapters: Living Fast and Dying Young, A Whole New World, A Very Heterosexual Homosexual, and Rational Men. Part 3: History and Politics includes the chapters: The History of Masculinity, Masculine Politics, and Practice and Utopianism.

According to Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh, one of Raewyn Connell's important contributions was the introduction of the concept of "body-reflection practice." Discussing this issue, the translator argues: "Masculinity is not something men 'possess,' but rather something they practice in their daily lives: in the family, at school, at work, in sports, in the military, in the media, or in intimate relationships. This perspective shifts the question from 'What is a man?' to 'What do men do?, under what conditions, and with what consequences?'"

Furthermore, another noteworthy concept in the book is "hegemonic masculinity," which, according to the translator, "is not the most common type of masculinity, but rather a type of masculinity that is empowered symbolically, serving as a norm and legitimizing the dominance of men in general and certain male groups in particular."

A very helpful perspective.

According to Dr. Nguyen Hiep Tri, former Deputy Head of the Department of Child Protection, Care and Social Welfare, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, we have always seen in textbooks that elevate men to a very high status, for example, doctors and engineers, while women are depicted as "janitors sweeping garbage on cold winter nights." If we repeat these things, we will find them normal. Therefore, let's be bold enough to correct mistakes when we see them.

Dr. Nguyen Hiep Tri recounted: In many seminars, he often quoted folk songs and proverbs, and he had to revise them. For example, "My shirt is torn at the hem / I'll mend it myself, and it will be beautiful again," not "My shirt is torn at the hem / My wife doesn't have an old mother yet, so I can't mend it." Or, "Happiness is built and mended by two people together / Not one person destroying and the other building," in response to the proverbs "When the husband is angry, the wife should speak less / When the rice is boiling, turn down the heat, and it will never burn."

Associate Professor Bui Manh Hung shared: “This book is very important in gender studies. It opens up a very useful perspective for us... Recently, Vietnam has made many efforts in gender equality. Specifically, many Party guidelines and State policies focus on gender equality. In the process of creating textbooks, gender equality is considered one of the overarching contents of the curriculum, meaning that all subjects must strive to incorporate content on gender equality, ensuring gender balance and the image and position of women…”.

Author Raewyn Connell is Professor Emeritus at the University of Sydney. She has previously taught at several prestigious universities, including Macquarie University (Australia), the University of California, Santa Cruz (USA), and has advised on UNESCO and United Nations initiatives focusing on promoting gender equality and peacebuilding.

In the context of the Party and State's numerous policies and guidelines on gender equality, and the significant achievements made in gender equality in Vietnam in recent decades, reading this is not just a theoretical study, but more importantly, it serves as an invitation to think and act together…

Thuy Trang

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202604/hieu-ve-nam-tinh-8a60f22/