Black Male Masculinity

I thoroughly enjoyed Anthony Keith's article, as well as his lively discussion, regarding Black male masculinity. His article really touched on a topic that I often thought about exploring, but I was never quite sure what topic I wanted to pursue, nor how to navigate through the process of exploring such a topic. All I knew was that everytime I saw Black men embrace, whether it be on the train, in the mall, in my home, etc., I was overwhelmed with emotion. This feeling slightly startled me because I didn't kow why it was happening and where it was coming from. I soon realized that it might be coming from this notion that, based on media portrayals of Black men, they should be fighting each other or killing each other. And to see Black men embracing, whether it be with a warm hug or "dap", the fact that they acknowledge each other in a positive regard was good enough for me.


Keith mentioned in his article that when he visited Africa, he "learned that being in close proximity with and showing love for other men in Tanzania was a performance of masculinity." The fear of being labeled "gay" or "homosexual" has tainted the interaction that a man has, or may desire, to have with another man. While this disconnect may appear minute in the physical sense, in the spiritual and psychological sense, it can drive a wedge between the relationship men have with one another and how they relate to one another. It's even a faux pas for Black men to smile in a photo! Everyone has to portray an image that they are "hard", "tough" and not "gay" by grimmacing in a photo, which in my opinion, only reinforces the notion that Black men are dangerous, animalistic, and to be feared.


Lastly, I enjoyed the discussion in the article about how barbershops serve as a "safe haven" where men can express this type of emotion without the ridicule or the fear of being mis-labeled. As I mentioned before, the salon has always been a forum for women to vent, comisserate, laugh, "politic" with one another, and the like, and to discover the barbershop to be a similar "haven" for men, is very encouraging and uplifting. I certainly agree with Keith's contention that "... it would behoove Black men to embrace masculinity like art; one that is void of social restrictions, but guided by introspection and mostly importantly, with love."