The well-known concepts of masculinity and femininity run rampant in our society. We live in a world where men are told to be masculine, women are told to be feminine and those who do not do as they are told, will suffer the societal consequences.

The philosophy of masculinity supports the idea that men must be strong. They must show very little emotion, have a career and ultimately be a "breadwinner." Men must be muscular and protect the "weaker" sex from harm. Though many of these traits are wonderful to have, realistically speaking, very few men will ever possess enough masculinity to feel worthy of being a man in our society. This truth leaves most men chasing an illusory goal of attaining a masculine identity. Most men will take every opportunity to show their masculinity and to declare to the world that they are indeed a "real" m

an. This fact is evident when men gather in a bar. The beer's going down, testosterone is pumping through the veins, and the motto is, "I ain't takin' nothin' from nobody." Most males are looking for a brawl and are looking to solidify their masculine place in the world. Inevitably a fight ensues, people get hurt, and the goal is accomplished. Well, at least for a day or two.

Very few people emit all masculine or all feminine behavior. Most people of our society integrate both feminine and masculine characteristics within their beings. The integration of both masculinity and femininity is known as androgyny. Is has become more and more accepted to be androgynous, yet few people obtain a perfect balance between masculinity and femininity. The unspoken societal rule about gender is, if one is male, one must show more masculine traits than feminine traits, or else risk the chance of being labeled a "pussy" or a "faggot." The same is true for women. If women present themselves in an overly masculine manner, they take the risk of being labeled a "butch" or a "dyke." The concept of androgyny helps to ease the pressure of the strict gender roles in our society. An example where androgynous characteristics are needed is a camp counselor. The counselor needs to be a fear

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Approximate Word count = 865
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)