Masculinity also known as manhood is a set of behaviors, roles and attributes that are associated with men or boys in the society. Primarily, manliness is a social construct that is composed of both biologically-created and socially-defined factors. In Puerto Rico, a real man is exhibited by traits like courage, assertiveness and independence. The society in Puerto Rico has placed more emphasis on power and masculinity with great regards to responsibility and consequences.
In Puerto Rico, the Machismo is a masculine concept that is associated with a sense of masculine pride. The man in this society is tasked with the responsibility of providing and protecting the family. According to Rafael and Casper (1999), the Machismo culture in Puerto Rico holds assumptions that masculinity is superior to feminism. This is because the society in this country is predominantly associated with patriarchal undertones.
For men in Puerto Rico, the masculinity and the physical strength determine the amount of respect that the man receives. For instance, homosexual men are being associated with feminine attributes a fact that makes the society regard them lowly.Orelus (2010) reiterates that homosexuals receive little respect due to its association with feminine attributes.
Machismo concept in Puerto Rico expects a man to be sexually experienced. Also, infidelity in men is a common practice since men are not expected to exhibit the same level of chastity as women. Women are supposed to tolerate unfaithful spouses since its part of the machismo custom. Men view women as objects of sex and that it is the divine duty of women to satisfy sexual desires of men.
A study by Rafael and Casper (1999) indicates that Puerto Rico has a long-standing custom that considers a man to the head of the family and is responsible for providing for the family. In most cases, the man may be the only paid-working parent. However, in cases where the wife is working, the society expects the man to be the main income contributor. This is because a man's self-respect and masculine identity are defined by his ability to fend for his family. If the man fails to meet his bills, his position as the head of the household can be challenged. Also, the inability of a man to discharge his roles may mean ultimate shame. Lazy men in this society are likened to dead people. On the contrary, a man who is working hard to provide for his family is treated like a prince since he is sacrificing his energy and time for the well-being of the family.
Altruism is another trait that defines masculinity in Puerto Rico.The society expects men to protect the well-being of their family members and the community. The man is viewed as a strong person who has the capability of defending the family and the community from attacks. The belief in men as the sole protectors of the community has seen fewer women being recruited into the army. The man is expected not to act violently towards his wife and children but would instead react violently in case anyone wants to harm his family. This trait has placed the Puerto Ricos' men with the sole responsibility of ensuring harmonious relationships and interpersonal respect in the society.
In Puerto Rico, the society values physical strength in men and the ability to show resilience if they are in pain or danger. This is because the man is the source of authority and is responsible for making most of the decisions in the family. On the other hand, the woman is supposed to take care of domestic chores. Besides, mothers spend a lot of time with the children a fact that makes them gain credibility and authority on matters affecting children like schooling and discipline. Nonetheless, the man in the house has the last word in all family affairs. Since men are the ones owning the means of production in Puerto Rico, most women suffer a lot in case of separation since a majority of them do not invest in their careers and time due to the patriarchal nature of the society. Most of the women are often left with the burden of fending for the children after separation (Orelus, 2010).
Masculinity in Bahrain
Bahraini tradition is based on the Islamic customs and principles that regard the man as the ultimate authority in the family. According to Karolak et al. (2013), the cosmopolitan nature of the Bahrain population has enhanced the development of a more open society that upholds the rights of both men and women.
In Bahrain, men are the main source of security and protection in the family. Besides, a real man in Bahrain is expected to provide for his family.Karolak et al. (2013) also opine that the woman is expected to take care of the domestic chores which include taking care of the children. Unlike other Asian men, the man in Bahrain recognizes the role of women in the development of the society. Initially, women used to assist their husbands in trade and fish vending.
Karolak et al. (2013) explain the relationship between sexual and gender roles among men in Bahrain. A man who dominated his wife and slaves at home commanded respect from the members of the society and could be entrusted with a leadership position. Besides, men who engage in sex with prostitutes are considered to be sinners but that does not undermine their public position in the society men. On the other hand, men who publicly behave like women are despised in the society. However, the society tolerates these men and values their input in the community as entertainers. Moreover, the manhood of a man is likely to be challenged if he maintains a dominant public character but is submissive to the wife in private.
According to the Islam principles, the Quran allows a man to take up to four wives so long as he can support them. This tradition, however, seems to depict women as objects of sex in the society. Also, the masculinity of a man in Bahrain is determined by his wealth. This is because only rich men are allowed to marry many wives. On the other hand, women are not allowed to have more than one partner are infidelity is punished severely. Today; few men in Bahrain are marrying more than one wife due to the emancipation of women through education. However, the men have retained their role authority as head of families especially in rural areas.
In Bahrain, a man is the one who initiates social relations with a lady unlike in western cultures whereby a woman can request a man for a relationship. Besides, Karolak et al. (2013) note that a man has powers to divorce a woman for any reason. On the other hand, a woman can only request for a divorce under specifically specified circumstances. Since men are the ones, who pays dowry, a woman who chooses to divorce the husband must return the dowry to the husband's family. Men are allowed do divorce their women on grounds of unfaithfulness while the opposite does not apply to women. After separation, the children belong to the husband.
Extended family relations play a critical role in the Bahrain culture.Karolak et al. (2013) reiterates that the man is the head of the extended family. The man in the family has a great degree of control over the process of marriages in the family. Traditionally, men arrange for the marriages of their children and that it is the responsibility of the man to pay the bride price as a sigh of appreciation to the parents of the bride.
When it comes to dressing, men in Bahrain are expected to dress modestly and should steer clear of exposing their body parts. On the other hand, women are supposed to wear traditional clothing that covers their hair and part of the face. However, the society allows women to wear long sleeved western-stylish clothes at the workplace.
A man in Bahrain is supposed to be emotionally and intellectually superior to women. These attributes are about an allegation by prophet Mohamed that a society which is led by a woman cannot prosper. So, various activities are attributed to men and women in the Bahrain conservative society. For instance, even well-educated men hold an opinion that woman should not work and that those who are in formal employment should not receive the same pay as that of men. This belief portrays women as inferior beings in the eyes of men who should not be given equal treatment.
Education is highly valued in Bahrain. A man who is highly educated commands a lot of respect among his peers and the rest of the society. Since education is free, Bahrain citizens are highly educated and that the literacy level is the highest in the entire Middle East. Both men and women in Bahrain have equal opportunities to access education. Although, men and women attend separate schools.Acess to education and the metropolitan nature of the Bahrain society has led to the development of a society where men respect the rights of women. Both male and female children are taken to school unlike other countries in the Middle East where men are against the idea of women going to school.
Similarities between Masculinity in Puerto Rico and Bahrain
In both societies, the man is still considered as the head of the family. In Puerto Rico for example, the man is the one responsible for making all major decisions in the house and that no one can challenge him. In Bahrain, the man is the ultimate authority in the family. The man is the solely responsible for the cohesion of the family since he gives how people ought to behave in the family.
Also, it is the responsibility of the man in Puerto Rico and Bahrain to provide for the family. A real man is the one who provides all the basic needs to the family. The inability of a man to perform his duties may ultimately lead to shame.
Furthermore, the man is supposed to provide security to the family. In Bahrain, the extended family ties are used to guard the name of the family against a form of attack. On the other hand, men in Puerto Rico are solely responsible for the protection of their families.
Men in both countries view woman as an object of pleasure. Women are supposed to be submissive to their husbands and that total obedience and tolerance are expected on the side of the woman. For instance, a man in Bahrain is allowed to take up to four women as long as he is wealthy enough to take care of their needs. In Puerto Rico, the society allows men to have more than one sexual partner. The women are expected to be faithful to their husbands and infidelity is highly punished.
Differences in masculinity in Puerto Rico and Bahrain
Puerto Rico is a patriarchal society that does not respect the rights of the woman. Only men are allowed to go to while the work of the woman is to take care of domestic chores. On the contrary, Men in Bahrain values education for both girls and boys a fact that has seen many women in Bahrain. Men in Bahrain believe in the emancipation of women through education unlike in Bahrain where most of the women are illiterate.
In Puerto Rico, physical strength is valued as a measure of manhood. Men who are physically strong with great abilities are regarded with the highest esteem due to their abilities to provide protection to the family. On the other hand, the society in Bahrain values intellectual strength.
In Bahrain, women help their husbands in the running of the family business while others have ventured into formal employment. The men in Bahrain have allowed their women to work and take part in the building of the family the sharing of responsibilities. In Puerto Rico, men fear to be challenged by women. Most of the men have a feeling that a woman who is working is likely to challenge their position in the family.
In Bahrain, the men who are the head of the families are responsible for choosing spouses for their children so as to guard the honor and the dignity of the family. In Puerto Rico, men are women free to make their choices when it comes to the choosing of a life partner. In the case of a divorce, the man in Bahrain takes full responsibility for the children. In Puerto Rico, the majority of the women are left with the burden of taking care of their children a fact that makes the children suffer since the women folk are not empowered.
References
Karolak, M., Guta, H and Neva, H.A. (2013). Fluid Masculinities? Case Study of the Kingdom of Bahrain. New York: Springer
Orelus, P.W. (2010). The Agony of Masculinity: Race, Gender, and Education in the Age of "new" Racism and Patriarchy. New York: Peter Lang.
Rafael, L.R. and Casper, R. (1999). What it Means to be a Man: Reflections on Puerto Rican Masculinity. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press.
