Some may say it’s a man’s world, but Michael Kimmel visited the University’s Union Theatre on Tuesday to talk about “Guyland” and his book of the same name.
About 350 students and community members attended to hear Kimmel, a researcher and writer on masculinity, animatedly discuss a man’s journey into adulthood and evidence that gender inequality continues into today’s world. His talk centered on his book, which was based on interviews with more than 400 young men in the Guyland phase.
Kimmel defines Guyland as a new developmental stage for men ages 16 to 26 in which they transition from boys to men.
The Guyland population consists of about 22 million mostly white, middle-class men, Kimmel said. He said males in this demographic are typically confused and afraid to make commitments – whether they’re relationship or job-related. Guyland revelers desire postponing adulthood and celebrating video games, sports and depersonalized sexual relationships.
Guyland emerged because there are historical markers of adulthood – complete an education, get married, get a job and move out of one’s parents’ home – and now, it’s taking young men longer to achieve these adult goals, Kimmel said.
 
 
Demographics, the economy, changes in parenting styles and changes in women’s lives are contributing factors, he said.
“This new stage is lasting a full decade,” he said. “This is not going away.”
Men in the Guyland phase of their lives often feel the need to prove their masculinity, but only have other males their age to prove it to, Kimmel said.
“How you walk, how you talk, how you move are constantly policed by other young men,” he said as he demonstrated gestures that would be considered acceptable versus those considered “sissy,” though only minor differences existed.
Kimmel said young men try to invent ways in which they can test and prove themselves to other men. This is often evident in fraternity hazing, he said.
The reason young men engage in these head-scratching activities all boils down to the three-word guy code: “bros before hoes,” Kimmel said.
This bond often leads young men to feel superior to women because the female counter-code “chicks before dicks” just doesn’t cut it, he said. Young men often feel like they’re victims of reverse discrimination, which can lead them to resent gender equality, he said.
He said women are forced to choose between two personas – “babe or bitch” – and he offered several examples of gender inequality continuing to exist in today’s culture.
Fraternities are permitted to serve alcohol in the house, while sororities are prohibited. Hookup culture also oozes gender inequality, as he said his interviews with young people revealed women are more concerned with bringing pleasure to their male partners than to themselves.
Kimmel invited a question-and-answer session at the close of his talk, and one audience member asked what people should do to quell inequality between genders.
“We should challenge the institution that promotes this gender inequality,” Kimmel responded.
 
—-
Contact Emily Herrington at [email protected]