ABSTRACT
This chapter explains masculinity as socially constructed, multifaceted and complex, and argues against a facile relationship between masculinity and men's relatively poor health. In light of the concern about rising obesity in men, and about the men's health 'crisis' more generally, it seems reasonable to posit a role for 'masculinity'. Thus men from minority ethnic backgrounds, from working-class communities and those identifying as gay may encounter barriers to accessing resources which enable the uptake of hegemonic masculinities. The homophobia and heterosexism which informs most versions of hegemonic masculinities actively renders gay men unacceptable and invisible. Using psychoanalytic concepts, it can also be argued that the uptake of hegemonic masculinities fundamentally involves psychic division and conflict, since hegemonic masculinities are predicated on an unconscious repression and suppression of the feminine. A psychosocial approach can help us to understand why two men from similar social backgrounds may differ markedly in terms of masculine identities and health practices.
