Becoming “Real Men” Adolescent Masculinity Challenges and Sexual Violence

Previous studies of adolescent male sexual violence have ignored—among other issues—offender agency and gender. The life-history method offers a means to explore both. In this article, the life histories of two adolescent male sex offenders are juxtaposed and analyzed. Although both boys initially l...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Men and masculinities Vol. 2; no. 3; pp. 286 - 307
Main Author: MESSERSCHMIDT, JAMES W.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Sage Publications, Inc 01.01.2000
Subjects:
Adolescents
Agency
Crime
Dominance
Domination
Feminist Theory
Gender
Hegemony
Life history
Males
Masculinity
Sex Offenders
Sex Role Identity
Sex Roles
Sexual Assault
Sexuality
Social Power
Violence
masculine resources
sexual violence
masculinity challenges
hegemonic masculinity
the body
sexualities
subordinate masculinity
ISSN:1097-184X, 1552-6828
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Previous studies of adolescent male sexual violence have ignored—among other issues—offender agency and gender. The life-history method offers a means to explore both. In this article, the life histories of two adolescent male sex offenders are juxtaposed and analyzed. Although both boys initially launched a hegemonic masculine project, bodily and sexual practices institutionalized in the school presented “masculinity challenges” to both boys and played a major role in structuring their subsequent formation of subordinate masculinities. Both boys eventually used sexual violence as a resource for over-coming the masculinity challenges and, thus, constructing a fragmented representation of in-school dominant masculinity. The life-history data support feminist perspectives that highlight the meaningful actions of individual agents and the significance of gender accomplishment as socially situated and intermittent. The article suggests that future research examine the salience of masculinity challenges, the body, and sexuality to adolescent male sexual violence.
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ISSN:1097-184X
1552-6828
DOI:10.1177/1097184X00002003003