Exposing Men
Also available:
PaperbackPrice:
$40.00 (01)Description
Asked to describe the Western stereotype of the perfect man, many would say that he is courageous, self-confident, physically and emotionally strong, and hardworking, always striving to provide for his family. Society has long idealized a vision of manhood that casts men as invulnerable, independent, and intrepid. Often ignored, however, is the detrimental consequences for men that society's concept of masculinity has wrought.Exposing Men examines how such ideals of masculinity have long skewed our societal--and scientific--understanding of one of the pillars of male identity: reproductive health. Only with the recent public exposure of men's reproductive troubles has the health of the male body been thrown into question, and along with it deeper masculine ideals. Whereas once men's sexual and reproductive abilities were the most taboo of topics, today sperm banks advertise their "product" in flashy subway signs and magazine articles trumpet male reproductive decline with headlines such as "You're Half the Man Your Father Was." Cynthia R. Daniels casts a gimlet eye on our world of plummeting sperm counts, spiking male reproductive cancers, declining birth rates of boys and the growth of industries to "correct" male infertility, in order to assess the true state of male health. What she finds is male reproductive systems damaged by toxins and war, and proof piling up that men, through sperm, pass on harm to the children they father. Yet, despite the evidence that men's health, as much as women's, significantly affects the vitality of their offspring, Daniels also sees a society holding on to outdated assumptions, one in which men ignore blatant health risks as they struggle to live up to antiquated ideas of manliness.
Deftly explaining how our perception of men and women's reproductive functions have informed society's broader assumptions about gender roles, Exposing Men is for anyone interested in confronting and addressing the ever-changing landscape of sexual inequalities.
Reviews
"Provoking and surprisingly accessible despite the complexity of Daniel's ideas."--Sexuality Research & Social Policy
"A stunningly original approach to gender justice. With sober science and clear, vivid narrative, Daniels challenges our biological and political ideals of masculinity. A brilliant scientific expose in the service of humane politics, with a powerful message: Only through recognition of male vulnerability can gender justice be achieved."-- Deborah Stone, Research Professor of Government, Dartmouth College
"Announce a feminist book on reproductive health hazards, and it's a safe bet readers will expect an angry expose of threats to women's bodies and lives. If so, prepare to lose your wager while you gain wisdom and wonder. Stellar feminist theorist Cynthia Daniels forges boldly into the virgin and veiled political terrain of environmental and social hazards to men's reproductive health. A brilliant analysis of how the politics of masculinity thwart research, awareness and policy concerning increasing threats to male fertility, potency, and progeny."--Judith Stacey, Professor of Sociology, New York University
"Exposing Men presents a gripping account of how men's reproductive systems are just as harmed by environmental and industrial factors as are women's, ranging from low sperm counts to birth defects to sexual health. Arguing that men's position of social privilege often obscures the dangers to which they are subjected, Daniels makes a powerful case for rethinking how we see men's role in reproduction, sexuality, and masculinity. Everybody, male and female alike, who thinks that feminism is just about women-or just for women-should read this book."--Nancy Hirschmann, Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania
"Cynthia Daniels has done civil society a rare service by uncovering the strength of the political constraints on our conceptualization of male reproductive health--and its consequences for men and the children they father. This book will stimulate a new debate on gender, health policy, and health politics."--Sue Tolleson-Rinehart, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
"Exposing Men condiders how prevailing ideals of masculinity have produced a skewed societal and scientific understanding of men's repoductive health."--Contemporary Sociology
About the Author(s)
Cynthia R. Daniels is Associate Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University. She is the author of At Women's Expense State Power and the Politics of Fetal Rights .
