Losing Manhood Like a Man

Abstract

In this article, we examine the first author's experiences before, during, and after a vasectomy to uncover gaps in existing masculinities scholarship. Utilizing collaborative autoethnographic methods, we document some ways the first author's experience reveals (1) missing pieces in existing research into masculinities and vasectomies, (2) unanswered questions about manhood and reproductive justice, and (3) limitations in contemporary conceptualizations of hegemonic and compensatory manhood acts. In conclusion, we suggest some ways to extend masculinities scholarship by critically examining situational variations in what it means to be a man as well as some ways vasectomy experiences may influence these ideals.

Out of the shadow: Partners managing illness together

“…These may be particular types of diseases (Edwards & Ruettiger, 2002;Manne & Zautra, 1990;Maughan, 2003), health care trajectories (Maughan et al, 2002;White & Grenyer, 1999), clinical settings (Edwards & Ruettiger, 2002), age ranges (Calasanti & King, 2007), sex and identities (Paulson et al, 2003), gender norms (Kramer & Kipnis, 1995) and identities (Calasanti & King, 2007), races (Fredman et al, 1995), or other characteristics frequently assessed by in-depth studies of health in social life. We echo these recommendations both conceptually with respect to broad horizons for the sociology of health and illness and within our prior work (see Cragun, Cragun, Nathan, Sumerau, & Nowakowski, 2016;Cragun & Sumerau, 2015;Nowakowski & Sumerau, 2015).…”

“…On a broader level, our review of this literature suggests many ways an explicitly intersectional approach to illness management-collaborative and individualistic based-may provide numerous insights into the complexity of such processes. Considering that differential social locations related to, for example, gender (Nowakowski & Sumerau, 2015), race (Grollman, 2012), and sexualities (Cragun & Sumerau, 2015) have been shown to influence both illness management and intimate experience outcomes within relationships of varied types and forms, it is striking that existing literature rarely explores the intersections of these identities and locations in the experience of chronic illness or in illness management within relationships (Nowakowski et al, 2016a). Like many other areas of contemporary health (Link & Phelan, 2010) and relationship (Cragun & Sumerau, 2015) research, review of earlier literature suggests that there may be much to learn from exploring the ways people individually and collaboratively manage chronic conditions together over time while occupying similar and different intersecting social locations, identities, and resource accessibility (see also Cragun et al, 2016;.…”

Undermining the Moral Obligations of Manhood Acts

“…Masculinity, dramaturgy, and emotion work have also been deployed to explore how cage fighters manage fear of death while causing fear in opponents (Vaccaro, Schrock, and McCabe 2011), and how black student leaders privately used anger toward their trainees to correct behaviors thought to reinforce racial stereotypes (Jackson and Harvey Wingfield 2013). Finally, a manhood acts framework has been utilized to examine the construction of a masculine self through prominent figures like Donald Trump (Dignam et al 2021), and to explain compensatory manhood acts following the symbolic loss of manhood that accompanies vasectomy (Cragun and Sumerau 2017). I add to this body of work by detailing what occurs when a social interaction intentionally prevents men's excuses and justifications for violence—a key component of a manhood act.…”