ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines major historical institutional influences on Western masculinities in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It examines how the type and style of work available to men has an impact on their production of masculinity. The chapter shows that sport became compulsory, or virtually compulsory, for young boys throughout the twentieth century, and that it was synonymous with masculinity. It suggests that the influence of the church is diminishing, although a sense of cultural lag means that theological beliefs about gender are still of influence. The chapter discusses how the media, in numerous guises, influences and often regulates the construction of masculinity in the West, whether it be action-hero films, the way the media reports upon the news, or the influence of highly influential, feminized male vloggers. It demonstrates that masculinity is heavily influenced by a number of important social institutions. These include sport, religion, work, and occupations, as well as the media.
