The Distrained Masculinity

• Dying is a gendered situated experience. Relatively few discussions about death and dying have looked beyond patient perspective in relation to culture and images of men and masculinity. Despite a growing body of literature on dying, criticalstudies about men and masculinitiesin relation to thisis needed. Aim: The aim wasto describe the perceived and self-reflected processes of dying in relation to gendered ideas of culture, family and identity. Methods: We used a narrative thematic approach to analyse 8 interviews conducted over 18 month with one man close to death. The analysisfocuses on the interplay of death and dying and examines how they can be related to the concept of hegemonic masculinity and the processes connecting such men with the position of being. Result: Three themes are presented here: The priorities – straightened, the body – revised, the fatherhood – comprised. Setting the prioritiesstraight when time was meted out entails revising norms connected to work and what it meansto be a“real”man. The navigation towards child-centered manhood representsinstant re-evaluation of work. The presence of body is a deeply rooted foundation in perceptions and ideas of masculinity. Hence, the body is often regarded as a machine, i.e. working and operating in socialsituations, and bodily decline is a dispossession of masculinity. Achieving the goal of a“positively involved fatherhood”indicatesthat the amount of involvement mattersin contemporary masculinity. Being presentseemsto involve a range of responsibilities,such as economy, practical and emotionalstrings even beyond death. Conclusion: The overarching“distrained masculinity”usesimages and ideals astoolsto reach last possible opportunitiesfor fulfillment rather than filling a function as a style and posing in gendered meanings, covering strategies of: concentration asin putting priorities wright, dispossession or loss due to bodily decline and, extension of responsibilities beyond death.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)