ABSTRACT
Few people would consider male gender socialization to be a public health issue. Some argue that biology plays an important role in the male propensity for sexual abuse and violence. The process of emotional socialization that so commonly accompanies men's indoctrination into masculinity has certain predictable consequences. This chapter focuses on the emotional legacies of being socialized into masculinity and argues that the pathways by which the emotional socialization of males potentiates the perpetration of sexual abuse and violence. The interaction between early abuse and the process of masculine socialization can create an intense conflict for male victims. At the core of the male gender socialization process is the often traumatic constricting of the male's capacity to experience and express his emotions. While there are many ways in which masculine socialization can and does influence the development and experience of men's sexuality, and while there are many individual and cultural differences, there are also certain basic directional biases.
