Failing Masculinity at the Club: A Poststructural Alternative to Intoxication Feminism

Abstract

With a starting point in women's studies, this article moves on to approach the nightclub as a place of embodiment for both genders by introducing neo-Lacanian insights combined with Baudrillardian concepts. We look at three young drug-experienced men interviewed for a Danish club study (2008-09). The article examines how the risks of losing masculinity, losing sexual opportunities, and losing friends are managed in nightlife. Since masculinity becomes invested in the fantasy of the drug and the utopian party, these young men can be perceived as risking their male position when the party does not work out as planned.

Sex Work and the Night-Time Economy

“…Briggs and Ellis (2017) cite stag parties as a particularly apt example. Harder and Demant (2015) interviewed young men who frequented Danish nightclubs and used illegal drugs. Their participants reported that drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamines enabled them to overcome shyness and anxiety, and gain the confidence to pick up women.…”

The Male Gaze or Male Gays? From Romance to Bromance through Performances of Gender and Sexuality by two of Love Island’s Favourite Characters

“…Some practices undertaken by men (e.g. displaying emotion) may, from the perspective of Connell (1995) and the Brannon Masculinity Scale (Brannon & Juni, 1984;David & Brannon, 1976), be interpreted as constituting a threat to dominant notions of masculinity, and in turn result in a loss of masculine status and self-esteem (Harder and Demant, 2015). However, this is not entirely adequate to fully understand or interpret how persons do masculinity.…”

“…What is interesting here, is the complete opposition to the 'No Sissy Stuff' (David and Brannon, 1976) masculinity typology, which both characters can be considered to have performed at different times throughout the show, due to the physicality of the interaction. Physical interactions between two or more heterosexual men have been cited in masculinity literature as boundary pushing in terms of performing a traditional masculine role unless it is enacted as an action which has been or will be expressed among or with women (Lupton, 2000), and can lead to outside questioning of the performers sexuality (Brook, 2015), or in some cases, lead to the exclusion of these men (Harder and Demant, 2015), so as not to challenge the hegemonic patriarchal status of the extant group.…”

"Most of the People My Age Tend to Move Out"

“…David and Brannon (1976) presented these themes in recognition of the role society encourages men to play-that is, men are required to perform a false front in order to "make it." Some practices undertaken by young men (e.g., caring, displaying emotion) may, from the perspective of Connell (1995) and David and Brannon (1976), be interpreted as constituting a threat to dominant notions of masculinity, and in turn result in a loss of masculine status and self-esteem (Harder and Demant 2015). However, this is not entirely adequate to fully understand/interpret the doings/performance of masculinity.…”