The Future Of Black Masculinity | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

The Future Of Black Masculinity

52
The Future Of Black Masculinity
http://cdn3.thr.com/sites/default/files/2017/03/daniel_kaluuya_and_trevante_rhodes.jpg

I spent a good part of my undergraduate career doing research on the lives of Black men. Prior to this, focusing on the lives of Black men and boys was something seen as obsolete and often overlooked. My introduction to the subject came my sophomore year when I was on the university library database conducting research for a history project. By typing the words "African American men," an article from "The West Journal of Black Studies" titled "God Bless the Child Who Got His Own: Toward a Comprehensive Theory for African-American Boys and Men" appeared. I was sold.

In the world of academic research, Black masculinity is largely still under researched. When I began to do this research, much of my motivation didn’t come from the books of the scholars but rather the Black men in my own life.

I used to think the experiences of Black men didn’t have no academic merit. I rarely saw academic scholars that looked like me that studied my experiences. I used to think relationships I had with other Black men such as my father and grandfather were something only unique to me. It brought me great comfort to find that research had been done for decades to discover the intersected tension living in our experiences stands long before the test of time.

Black masculinity has made a transition today. Scholars of the future will note a rather unprecedented portrait of the Black male. From Barack Obama’s historical presidency to the historical Oscar win for the 2016 Black LGBTQ film Moonlight, Black men are becoming more and more multi-faceted. Accompanying this, a dialogue is being had fueled by the occurrences in the media surrounding mass incarceration, racial profiling, and #BlackBoyJoy, in which many young Black men coming of age are beginning to reject prospects and principles in the time of our fathers and grandfathers in favor of adopting a more organic sense of manhood.

Gone are the Cliff Huxtables and the Magic Johnsons of the 20th Century, Black men today have more choices and are in more avenues than many would have ever imagined decades prior. Despite the effect of what sociologist Arlie Hochschild calls a “stalled revolution” in which despite progress being both demonstrative and delayed, efforts are being made both in the academic and non-academic sector to preserve the work of the historical Black men as well as welcome the work of Black men of today.

In the realm of popular culture, film and television is coming into a new arena with the arrival of director Jordan Peele and his 2017 box office hit Get Out as well as the exclusive Netflix series Dear White People. Black boys have more choices and more expectations than to become the next Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan or even the next Jay Z. Black men have long been steered away from career paths that capitalize on them utilizing both their critical and creative skills to their full potential. Now, in the era of Millennial optimism, a space has been created, cushioned in cultural tension surrounding race and gender, where Black men adopting this multi-faceted Black masculinity is no longer an option but rather necessary.

Unfortunately, America is still plagued by age-old racial rhetorical monsters that perpetuate old stereotypes such as gang violence and the Black male phallus as a symbol of danger and destruction. The innovative work done by the Black men of today will no extinguish these stereotypes from existing but rather deconstruct and discredit them.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

182266
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

9063
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

453790
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

24062
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments