Name: Eoin
Age: 24
Location: Portland,ME
What does Masculinity mean to you?
It’s a social construct that has always been carried by a traditional standard. Those being that the man should be the breadwinner, athletic, suave, and many others. After my own experiences, those traditional beliefs have become antiquated to me. I believe that masculinity is ever changing and it should now be up to the individual to create their own definition of masculinity.
What would you say influenced your definition of masculinity?
Growing up having played many sports, I was around a lot of guys who seemed to understand what the male role was.Their beliefs largely influenced my understanding of the male role at the time. I thought it was someone who was a womanizer, successful, and gets what he wants. More recently, I’ve realized it’s more about being me, not following expectations and doing what makes me happy.
What’s helped you realize that?
I was introduced to ultimate frisbee in college and I still play now. That has influenced me a great deal. I’ve found that the sport culture surrounding frisbee is a lot different than other teams I’ve played on in the past. Something about how the culture contributes to a greater mindfulness of issues surrounding “masculinity” and how damaging the traditional framework is. Gender inclusivity is certainly part of it, especially playing mixed [gender frisbee teams], but the culture also contributes to a greater level of self-awareness about gender roles more broadly. Forces you to confront the fact that those traditional paradigms of masculinity often leave out consideration for other genders intentionally, and makes you have to let go of those idealizations of masculinity to achieve a common goal.
You said successful. How do you define success?
Financial stability. Make ends meet. I can’t really put it on a metric, Just being able to feel financially secure.
Do you believe this definition is constant?
The 20s are a volatile time. It’s fun but insecure. I feel there’s a constant worry about money. I think a lot before I make a purchase. Maybe when I get older it’ll change. Right now, I see it as a security blanket and something that will allow me to explore new places and experiences.
