Disabled Masculinities: A Review and Suggestions for Further Research

Abstract

This article provides an overview of the existing sociological literature relating to disabled masculinities, a field of enquiry that has undergone substantial development over the past two decades. I contend that previous studies have insightfully uncovered the social forces that have established a “dilemma of disabled masculinity” within contemporary Western societies, as well as the complex, contextualised and multiple ways in which disabled men negotiate this dilemma. To foster the further development of the field, I suggest three potentially productive lines for future enquiry. Specifically, I support greater attention to the issue of comparative diversity between impairment categories, a consideration of the generative role that disability may have in relation to masculinity, and more sustained enquiry into how changing constructions of masculinity inflect the lives of disabled men.

Masculine Ideals and Health in Older Men: Findings From the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study

“…Due to their competitiveness, skillset, and expertise, sportsmen have served as ambassadors for contemporary Western masculinity. Social contexts that include competitive sports have been well-documented by sociologists as facilitators of masculine expression, regulation, and development ( Barrett, 2014 ). Older men who engage in sports are often continuing a practice they had in their younger years ( Thandi et al, 2018 ).…”