The Rape Of Men As Homophobia In The Construction Of Masculinity Through The Study Of A Popular Television Sitcom

In recent years,male rape has emerged in the social research discourse as the concept of hegemonic masculinity has become a “profound and pervasive” plausible theoretical framework with which to understand men and to explain why men perpetrate rape.The perspective of hegemonic masculinity asserts that men are also victims of socially constructed masculinity.Just as men rape women,men rape other men to enhance their own masculinity through exerting their power and control over other men.This theoretical development emphasizes that socially constructed gender roles and perceptions of victimization serve to deny male rape,as challenging dominant social concepts.In addition,the mass media plays a crucial role in perpetuating and reinforcing cultural and social myths about male rape.As a result,male rape remains largely misunderstood in the social research and public discourse.Homophobia is used by men in order to prove hegemonic masculinity,the culturally idealized unattainable masculinity based on the exclusion and rejection of the feminine.Homophobia is built on the foundations of non-recognition,fear and misconception,and has been deployed as a highly effective gender-policing tool.The presence of male rape as homophobia in the construction of masculinity is the focus of this thesis.In addressing the issue of male rape and homophobia,the media,especially television,is being employed to revalue and reassert conventional gender roles.It strengthens the traditional concepts of masculinity and approves the intensifying homophobia that hegemonic masculinity requires.The negative influence of television on the construction of masculinity should not be neglected.In addition to providing a critical review of the relevant literature,this study conducts a content analysis of a popular television sitcom to explore the phenomenon of male rape as homophobia.The television program Family Guy provides viewers with a large number of cases of male rape,and the messages it produces should not be ignored.Therefore,the aim of this study is to explore the pervasive presence of male rape in Family Guy to prove that it strengthens hegemonic masculinity through the use of homophobia.