The Life of Brian: Masculinities, Sexualities and Health in New Zealand
The notion of masculinity is universal but its embodiment is specific to the culture and historical moment to which it belongs. Experiences of masculinity are intersected and defined by class, ethnicity, race and sexualities, and are therefore diverse. The concept exists only in contrast to 'femininity': there is nothing inherent to 'what it is to be a man'. If this quality of masculinity means that we cannot speak or assume a universal experience of being male in New Zealand, the much-loved idea of the 'Kiwi bloke' is really a construction of ideals based on nostalgia. It is unrealistic, out-of-date and limiting. The contributors to this book explore ideas about and experiences of being masculine in the twenty-first century, and their implications for men's health and sexuality.