From Blurred Lines to gang signs, how does society cause toxic masculinity?
In Mask Off, JJ Bola exposes masculinity as a performance that men are socially conditioned into. Using examples of non-Western cultural traditions, music and sport, he shines light on historical narratives around manhood, debunking popular myths along the way. He explores how LGBTQ men, men of colour, and male refugees experience masculinity in diverse ways, revealing its fluidity, how it's strengthened and weakened by different political contexts, such as the patriarchy or the far-right, and perceived differently by those around them.
At the heart of love and sex, the political stage, competitive sports, gang culture, and mental health issues, lies masculinity: Mask Off is an urgent call to unravel masculinity and redefine it.
This book is part of our Outspoken by Pluto series.
JJ Bola is a writer, poet and educator. He is the author of the novel No Place to Call Home (2017), as well as three poetry collections. He is one of the winners of the 2017 Spread the Word Flight 1000 Associates Prize.
Eloka Ivo is an actor in theatre and TV. His theatre credits include The Gods are not to Blame at the Almeida, The End of Eddy at Bam New York, and To Kill a Mockingbird at Lyric Hammersmith. He also recently shot Armando Iannucci’s Avenue 5 for HBO.
'An antidote to Jordan Peterson'
- Guardian'An uncompromising, heartfelt and completely vital interrogation of this thing we call masculinity. Bubbling with new perspectives and major insights - this is the book about masculinity that we ALL need'
- Jeffrey Boakye, author of 'Black, Listed: Black British Culture Explored''A vital addition to books on masculinity. It is opening up conversations, whilst offering guidance towards joyful, emotional, non-violent masculinities'
- Bad FormAcknowledgements
Introduction: Mask off: Being a man
1. Real men: Myths of masculinity
2. Gang signs & prayer: Male violence, aggression and mental health
3. What’s love got to do with it?: Love, sex and consent
4. This is a man’s world: The politics of masculinity, the masculinity of politics
5. If I were a boy: Gender equality and feminism
6. See you at the crossroads: Intersections of masculinity
7. It goes down in the DM’s: Masculinity in the age of social media
8. Slamdunk the funk: Masculinity and sport
Conclusion: Man in the mirror: Transgression and transformation
Resources
eBook ISBN: 9781786805034
Audiobook ISBN: 9780745340357
Listening Length: 4 hours 27 minutes 0 seconds.
Version: ABR