Masculinities
Sociological understandings of
gender
‘Masculinity’ and ‘femininity’ are sociological
concepts which can be defined as the collection of
roles, behaviours, activities, expressions and
practices that are broadly associated with being
male or female, respectively. In this view, men’s
and women’s identity, behaviour and the
expectations placed on them are not purely the
result of their biological sex, but reflect socially
constructed ideas about ‘being a man’ or ‘being a
woman’.