ABSTRACT
Masculinity cannot be regarded as a single entity. Both within Western culture and across cultures, a wide variety of masculinities are easily observable. Yet masculinity is so oŽen contrasted with femininity that the many di†erences among men are at times obscured. To in part correct this deŠciency, various “psychologies” of men are explored, as well as the cultural components that shape a society’s ideas of what constitutes masculinity. Male heterosexuality and homosexuality are also examined, as are a number of the fantasies and fears that men typically experience. What cannot be leŽ out of any exploration of male psychology are those sources of strength that permit so many men to Šercely protect their families and, when called upon, to Šght their country’s wars. Nonetheless, the di†erences between individual men are signiŠcant and can even be said to be vast.
