While the Russian invasion of Crimea has captured the worldâs attention, media discussions on it â particularly statements made by some Fox News guests and commentators – are also worthy of attention.
This column may have been more relevant last week if thereâd been space, but itâs fitting that it runs instead during Womenâs Week â six days of programming on gender inequality.
A central aspect of the criticism by far right commentators on how President Obamaâs handled the Crimea crisis is that heâs not been tough enough, particularly compared to Russian âstrongmanâ Vladimir Putin, who takes land by force.
For example, analyst Ralph Peters, a former Army officer, said Putin was âa real leaderâ and President Obama was incapable. And in describing Putinâs actions, Ralph Giuliani said âthatâs what you call a leader.â
(Disclosure: the quotes, among others, were used in a Daily Show segment.)
But their criticisms didnât stop there â they go beyond just geopolitics into personal habits and their reflections on masculinity.
To cite a well circulated conservative talking point, Putin poses shirtless or with tigers, while President Obama wears âmom jeans.â
What exactly that has to do with international politics, Iâm still not sure. But their clear subtext is that Obama isnât man enough to face off with Putin, and itâs putting the U.S. and the world in danger.
Ironically, this is probably the only time theyâll say a black man appearing tough and intimidating those around him would be a good thing, rather than a justification for shooting him. But I digress.
In their comments on Putin and Obama, the Fox News personalities â including former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin â recycle tired narratives on gender roles.
Masculine figures such as Putin take what they want and donât care what other people say or do. Feminine ones â such as Obama â are afraid to act and are weak.
But why is this idea of masculinity a good thing? Is invading another nationâs territory at gunpoint, in defiance of international law, really something to admire? I sure donât think so.
And for all the arguments that our Presidentâs response has been ineffectual, what good would playing our whole hand of sanctions do now if Russia doesnât back down? Then weâd have nothing left but to send in troops.
In terms of American masculinity, the ideal response would have been to immediately send troops in to drive the Russians out, but in the real world weâd probably all be buried under radioactive ash if that had been done.
While there should be no question that women and those who do not identify within the gender binary are the most oppressed in terms of gender, constructions of masculinity can also stifle and wound men.
Itâs not for nothing that the maker of the award-winning documentary âMiss Representation,â about how women are portrayed in media, is now following up with âThe Mask You Live In,â about how men are portrayed in media.
Men are told to stand up for themselves, to respond to pain with anger and violence rather than any other emotion â especially not tears â and never ever be perceived as feminine (example A: âmom jeansâ).
Itâs why âb*tchâ is an insult thrown at men, and a particularly damaging one; a factor that drives homophobia and domestic (sometimes even sexual) violence; and what makes it especially difficult for male survivors of sexual violence to share their experiences.
And thatâs why the programming this week is so important, especially Take Back the Night â because while it is called Womenâs Week and these are issues that primarily affect women, patriarchal masculinity and its constructions have negative effects on all of us.