{"id":11646,"date":"2020-03-25T10:38:17","date_gmt":"2020-03-25T09:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/finncult.asiakkaat.sigmatic.fi\/?p=11646"},"modified":"2022-06-06T19:38:39","modified_gmt":"2022-06-06T17:38:39","slug":"masculinity-what-on-earth-is-that","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finncult.be\/nl\/masculinity-what-on-earth-is-that\/","title":{"rendered":"Masculinity &#8211; what on earth is that?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><i>Article based on the Youth\/Masculinities panel discussion organised on the 6th of November 2019 in The National Museum of Finland, as part of the Institute&#8217;s RE\/defining Masculinities Helsinki week. The article is written by the journalist Nana Blomqvist, working as the Project Manager for Ekvalita&#8217;s masculinity programme &#8220;Vem \u00e9 man&#8221; &#8211; an important partner in the Institute&#8217;s RE\/defining Masculinities project. The article was originally published on\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/ekvalitaeducation.fi\/en\/masculinity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Ekvalita&#8217;s homepage<\/i><\/a><i>.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Masculinity has been an increasingly heated topic in the public discourse, especially after the fallout of #MeToo.<\/h3>\n<p>\u2013 In my daily work I am teaching young strong women who are becoming social workers, I am using a feminist research frame to understand men and boys as social beings in contemporary society, says Harry Lunabba, PhD in Social work and teacher in Social Science, one of four panelists in the panel Youth and Masculinities that was organised by the\u00a0Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux, together with the\u00a0<i>Vem \u00e9 man<\/i>\u00a0Project Manager at Ekvalita Nana Blomqvist, who moderated the panel discussion, and is also the author of this text.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image block-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/575\/harry-lunabba_webben-471x666.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/575\/harry-lunabba_webben-471x666.jpg\/thumb\/w1200 1200w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/575\/harry-lunabba_webben-471x666.jpg\/thumb\/w720 720w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/575\/harry-lunabba_webben-471x666.jpg\/thumb\/w600 600w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/575\/harry-lunabba_webben-471x666.jpg\/thumb\/w360 360w\" alt=\"Photograph of Harry Lunabba, who is looking into the camera.\" width=\"439\" height=\"621\" \/><figcaption><i>Harry Lunabba. Image: NIKK.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The other three panelists were Ira Virtanen, PhD in Interpersonal communication, Ahmet Polat, Artist, and Boodi Kabbani who played the protagonist in the 2017 feature film\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt6256872\/\">A Moment in the Reeds<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image block-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/571\/a-momnet-in-the-reeds.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/571\/a-momnet-in-the-reeds.jpg\/thumb\/w1200 1200w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/571\/a-momnet-in-the-reeds.jpg\/thumb\/w720 720w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/571\/a-momnet-in-the-reeds.jpg\/thumb\/w600 600w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/571\/a-momnet-in-the-reeds.jpg\/thumb\/w360 360w\" alt=\"Banner for the film a Moment in the Reeds, with a man holding another man from behind.\" width=\"788\" height=\"305\" \/><figcaption><i>Boodi Kabbani and Janne Puustinen. Image: Wild beast productions.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Re\/defining masculinity<\/h2>\n<p>The panel was organised as part of the Re\/defining Masculinties week that took place on the 5th to 8th of November 2019 in Helsinki. The main organiser of the event was The Finnish institute for the Benelux, in cooperation with\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ekvalita.fi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ekvalita<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/poikientalo.fi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Poikien Talo<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.caisa.fi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kulttuuritalo Caisa<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While masculinity has long existed as a topic in the field of social science research, it has only recently entered a wider public discourse, in particular in conjunction with the #MeToo debate, and has as such occasionally sparked heated arguments.<\/p>\n<p>Men dominate the statistics for violent crime, suicide and substance abuse. The question at the heart of the debate about men and masculinity seems to be how we interpret what lies behind these statistical figures. While some would claim that this harmful male behaviour is biologically predetermined, others point to rigid social expectations on men that cultivate so called \u201ctoxic masculinity\u201d. Others emphasise male victimhood, either due to marginalisation or a rapidly changing society in which men are struggling to find their place in a bewildering social playing field.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>\u201cThis pink top is really girly \u2026 wait, did I just say that\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Even people who subscribe to the idea of gender as a social construct and are professionally immersed in the notion of gender fluidity may fall prey to internalised, preconceived gender norms.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 \u201cthis pink top is really girly \u2026 wait, did I just say that\u201d. What is it that makes a piece of cloth gendered, actually? Kabbani asks, referring to something he caught himself saying when looking at clothes in a store.<\/p>\n<p>Kabbani is from Syria, and arrived in Finland in late 2014.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 I grew up in an environment where you cannot be something in between, which made me feel like I had to delete myself, he says.<\/p>\n<p>Today, he says, he subscribes to gender fluidity, a notion which he brings to his work as an actor as well. For example when he prepares for a role in a movie he strives not to reinforce the one-dimensional image of an angry and violent man, and tries to bring out more emotional aspects of a character.<\/p>\n<p>All the panelists have their own professional take on masculinity.<\/p>\n<p>Virtanen says she got into the field of masculinity as a Masters student. She says that the notion that men don\u2019t need anyone or don\u2019t show emotions wasn\u2019t aligned with her experiences. That inspired her to do research on men.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image block-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/567\/ira-virtanen-jonne-renvall-4.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/567\/ira-virtanen-jonne-renvall-4.jpg\/thumb\/w1200 1200w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/567\/ira-virtanen-jonne-renvall-4.jpg\/thumb\/w720 720w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/567\/ira-virtanen-jonne-renvall-4.jpg\/thumb\/w600 600w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/567\/ira-virtanen-jonne-renvall-4.jpg\/thumb\/w360 360w\" alt=\"Photograph of Ira Virtanen, looking into the camera and smiling.\" width=\"829\" height=\"553\" \/><figcaption><i>Ira Virtanen. Image: Jonne Renvall.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 We need to look at men\u2019s friendship, men\u00a0<i>do<\/i>\u00a0talk about emotions, men have close relationships, she emphasises.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>\u201cMasculinity is largely untheorised\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Lunabba, who works in the field of social work, realised during early stages of his studies that since he was often the only male in this context, it made sense that he should take on the responsibility of doing work that related with issues of boys.<\/p>\n<p>Since then he has, among other things, been investigating boys in child protection work.<\/p>\n<p>He decided to do his PhD about how boys\u2019 needs are recognised, and he wanted to focus on masculinity and vulnerability.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 Masculinity and vulnerability is largely untheorised, he says.<\/p>\n<p>Polat\u2019s perspective is partly that of an experienced artist, and partly of growing up between two cultures, Turkish and Dutch. In the discussion, he introduced his take on this topic with a short presentation and his latest video work The Myth of Men<\/p>\n<p>The trailer can be watched\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/companynewheroes.com\/project\/the-myth-of-men\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image block-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/573\/the-myth-of-men.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/573\/the-myth-of-men.png\/thumb\/w1200 1200w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/573\/the-myth-of-men.png\/thumb\/w720 720w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/573\/the-myth-of-men.png\/thumb\/w600 600w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/573\/the-myth-of-men.png\/thumb\/w360 360w\" alt=\"Film still from a caf\u00e9 with different men conversing, with a text that reads The Myth of Men.\" width=\"800\" height=\"438\" \/><figcaption><i>From the film The Myth of Men. Image Company New Heroes.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 I grew up in between different cultures, still working on finding my way between the \u201cI culture\u201d and \u201cWe culture\u201d. There are responsibilities that are not articulated out loud [but that you are expected to understand and accept].<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 I did not have a voice for all of this until I found photography. I have worked with photography for 20 years, with topics such as the role as a father, immigration, how to be a man, and where that role comes from, Polat says.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 When you talk about what it is to become a man, it is either centred around responsibility or sex.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image block-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/568\/polat-picture.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/568\/polat-picture.png\/thumb\/w1200 1200w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/568\/polat-picture.png\/thumb\/w720 720w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/568\/polat-picture.png\/thumb\/w600 600w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/568\/polat-picture.png\/thumb\/w360 360w\" alt=\"Photograph in black and white of Ahmet Polat, a man looking into the camera with a confident demeanour.\" width=\"557\" height=\"844\" \/><figcaption><i>Ahmet Polat. Image: unknown.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Polat mentions honour as one of the themes of his film. It can easily be recognised that certain concepts of honour are attached to masculinity regardless of cultural context.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 Is this hegemonic masculinity? Blomqvist asks.<\/p>\n<p>Lunabba stresses the importance of nuancing the concept of masculinity.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 if we focus on hegemonic masculinity we reinforce it, we need to address vulnerability, the core of being human is to be vulnerable, he emphasises.<\/p>\n<p>In the 1990\u2019s Australian sociologist RW Connell promoted the concept of \u201chegemonic masculinity\u201d, by which she theorised a culturally idealised or sterotypified idea of manhood that organises men into hierarchies that stress violence, heterosexual prowess, and rejection of so called feminine traits. Hegemonic masculinity also creates a framework on how to relate to women (either with contempt or desire), creating male hegemony. Hegemonic masculinity does not leave much room for men to show vulnerability, especially in public.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image block-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/564\/hegeminicmasculinity.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/564\/hegeminicmasculinity.jpg\/thumb\/w1200 1200w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/564\/hegeminicmasculinity.jpg\/thumb\/w720 720w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/564\/hegeminicmasculinity.jpg\/thumb\/w600 600w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/564\/hegeminicmasculinity.jpg\/thumb\/w360 360w\" alt=\"An illustration explaining Connell's hierarchy of masculinity.\" width=\"680\" height=\"511\" \/><figcaption><i>The concept of hegemonic masculinity illustrated. Image: Unknown.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Lunabba is concerned for the angry men in our society. He emphasises that it is not only the marginalised men that are angry, but that men from the upper classes also tend to hold a world-view according to which society treats them unfairly based on their gender.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 It would help them escape the anger if vulnerability was being addressed, he says.<\/p>\n<p>Virtanen points out that the (social) discourse changes slower than reality. We could do a better job of representing men and boys in a more nuanced way, she says.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 Close friendship between boys should not be represented as an exception.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image block-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/574\/aatos-ja-amine.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/574\/aatos-ja-amine.png\/thumb\/w1200 1200w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/574\/aatos-ja-amine.png\/thumb\/w720 720w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/574\/aatos-ja-amine.png\/thumb\/w600 600w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/574\/aatos-ja-amine.png\/thumb\/w360 360w\" alt=\"Still from the film Gods of Molenbeek. Image shows two young boys lying on the floor talking.\" width=\"813\" height=\"446\" \/><figcaption><i>The childhood friends Aatos and Amine from From the documentary Gods of Molenbeek: Image: Reetta Huhtanen.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>According to Virtanen journalists have been asking her to comment on friendship between men and boys as if it was something out of the ordinary for two decades already.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>\u201cit was really hard to learn vulnerability, to feel things that you were not allowed to feel earlier\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In the public discourse on masculinity, the conceptual difference between masculinity and being a man is not always clear, says Blomqvist.<\/p>\n<p>According to Lunabba it is interesting to note that \u201cbeing a man\u201d doesn\u2019t necessarily hold any particular connotations, whereas masculinity is the framing of what men are supposed to be. He points out that among the murkier aspects of masculinity is the idea that men have a biologically predetermined incapability of taking care of children.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 We struggle because there is a framework of ideas of what we should be like, and masculinity means different things in different parts or times of life, Lunabba stresses.<\/p>\n<p>Masculinity is an idea, and manhood is body and identity, Blomqvist concludes.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 Even though I agree with that notion, Lunabba says, we should not talk about toxic masculinity. We should also talk about good masculinities.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Unlearning masculinity<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Alluding to previously mentioned notions on gender norms and society, Blomqvist poses a question about gender norms as building blocks for society at large.<\/p>\n<p>Virtanen points out that she looks at things from the perspective of what she calls the Human Condition. She points out an important distinction regarding how we react to uncertainties in life. When faced with a perceived threat to our identity, the feeling of insecurity can either prompt us to cling ever harder to previously internalised aspects of our identity, or to experience the pressure to change as growth and maturity.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 Nothing in the universe is permanent, not even rocks, and one notion of masculinity is that being a man is to be a rock, something people can lean on. However, one needs a bit of empathy towards oneself, she concludes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image block-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/569\/strong.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/569\/strong.jpg\/thumb\/w1200 1200w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/569\/strong.jpg\/thumb\/w720 720w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/569\/strong.jpg\/thumb\/w600 600w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/569\/strong.jpg\/thumb\/w360 360w\" alt=\"Photograph in black and white showing a shirtless man from behind, walking through a field, grabbing at the weeds around him.\" width=\"612\" height=\"406\" \/><figcaption><i>Image: Pixabay.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2013 Emotional security would be a good foundation for the resilience needed to face the change life brings, Blomqvist says.<\/p>\n<p>Virtanen emphasises that it is problematic if men do not seek support.<\/p>\n<p>Kabbani chimes in and says that it would help a lot if being a man wouldn\u2019t have to equal being a rock. Rather, he says, men should be able to be themselves first and foremost, and realise that being a man has nothing to do with masculinity. Masculinity has nothing to do with being human. Everything about masculinity is not bad, he muses. To be a responsible provider and to be protective are good things, but shouldn\u2019t be limited to one gender, Kabbani says.<\/p>\n<p>However, he says he felt it was really hard to learn vulnerability, to feel things that you were not allowed to feel earlier. Masculinity can be dehumanising, he states.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image block-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/566\/father-with-child.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/566\/father-with-child.png\/thumb\/w1200 1200w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/566\/father-with-child.png\/thumb\/w720 720w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/566\/father-with-child.png\/thumb\/w600 600w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/566\/father-with-child.png\/thumb\/w360 360w\" alt=\"A photograph of a man in a pool, holding a toddler in his arms. \" width=\"827\" height=\"452\" \/><figcaption><i>One burning question Polat has come across in his work has been fathers who say \u201cI don\u2019t know how to talk to my son\u201d. Image: Company New Heroes.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 Syria has been struggling for so long with dictatorship and war that is so much easier to stick to the stereotype, because that is what we know, Kabbani points out.<\/p>\n<h2>How to go about change, are demands on fast change the road to counter reaction?<\/h2>\n<p>Polat relates an anecdote from a visit to a reception center for asylum seekers, where there was a poster hanging saying: \u201cHere men can marry men and women can marry women\u201d. The story highlights the challenges that people who have grown up in a context with rigid gender roles face when expected to internalise egalitarian and democratic views and values.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 We expect these people to accept these ideas immediately, Polat says.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 But the demands can feel overwhelming, like \u201cWow, take it slow, give me a second, I just need food, I still want to provide\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not realistic to believe that one can simply discard an outdated hegemonic masculinity that excludes gender and sexual minorities\u2019 rights overnight, states Polat. If pushed too hard, people can cling even harder to their conservative ideas as a defence mechanism, he warns.<\/p>\n<h2>Culture, Masculinity and Sexuality<\/h2>\n<p>Polat and Kabbani highlight the fact that Middle Eastern and Turkish culture is what they call a \u201cwe-culture\u201d and European, in turn, is an \u201cI-culture\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>On one hand the gender roles in the Middle East are very rigid. Kabbani tells a story about a male relative of his who really liked children. However, because that was seen as feminine he couldn\u2019t spend time caring for his children as much as he wanted to.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, men can be very affectionate with each other, even if the male role is rigid, for example in Syria. Men address each other with the word\u00a0<i>habibi<\/i>\u00a0that literally translated from Arabic means\u00a0<i>my love<\/i>. The threshold to be physically affectionate is likewise very low, as it is considered friendly and brotherly, rather than sexual.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image block-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/565\/habibi2.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/565\/habibi2.jpeg\/thumb\/w1200 1200w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/565\/habibi2.jpeg\/thumb\/w720 720w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/565\/habibi2.jpeg\/thumb\/w600 600w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/565\/habibi2.jpeg\/thumb\/w360 360w\" alt=\"Arabic text on a brightly coloured background.\" width=\"739\" height=\"593\" \/><figcaption><i>My love, habibi, written in Arabic. Image: unknown.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Middle Eastern masculinity<\/h2>\n<p>Polat points out that a culture of repressed sexuality also plays out in the relations between heterosexual men, a notion that Kabbani wants to differentiate from the general normalcy of non-sexual affection between men in the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p>Kabbani makes a further point on the cultural differences.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 [The Middle Eastern] man is a ready made package, whereas in Finland, you can still be yourself even if everybody wouldn\u2019t like it, he says.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 You will not get killed for it, Blomqvist chimes in.<\/p>\n<p>In the Middle East, there are a lot of places where people don\u2019t interact with the opposite sex, Kabbaani says.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 You see all the hugging, holding hands, it shows that in some ways they have a lot of freedom to be human, but on the other hand, the gender roles are very rigid.<\/p>\n<p>In order to highlight the many nuances in Turkish physical interaction he touches Lunabba on the shoulder.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 In Turkey affection is shown for example through touching someone\u2019s hair or earlobes, he says.<\/p>\n<h2>Postcolonial legacy vs. cosmopolitanism<\/h2>\n<p>Polat poses the question of who controls the narrative. He applauds the positive changes in society, both regarding decolonisation and diversity, but also recognises that the growing acceptance of cosmopolitanism in the Netherlands, for example, creates an opposite reaction.<\/p>\n<p>The language we use also excludes some groups of people. People with post-colonial backgrounds, LGBT people for example, are generally positioned lower in the conversation, Polat says. The conversation should be inclusive, so we generally invite a lot of different kinds of men to our panels. The narrative should not be controlled only by one group of people, Polat points out.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>\u201cWho controls the narrative?\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Kabbani says that Finland is different from the Netherlands regarding the considered normalcy of cosmopolitanism. He says that during his early stay in Finland strangers would come up and touch his hair or beard. He also shares the story of a friend of his, that he describes as the sweetest person on earth, but who for some reason frightens girls. Kabbani says that he has experienced the frightening effects he himself has on those around him.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 People avoid sitting next to me on the bus or they hold their things when I am around, he says.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 It is unfair to be associated with violence and danger, he says.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Solutions<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>\u201cCommunication is the key\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Virtanen offers a hands-on solution and emphasises interactions. Her research on intergroup dinners has given clear results.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 Research vastly shows that people who engage in conversation and interaction decrease prejudices and increase empathy. Communication is the key, she stresses.<\/p>\n<p>The otherness becomes familiar, Kabbani states.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image block-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/570\/boodi-small-places.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/570\/boodi-small-places.png\/thumb\/w1200 1200w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/570\/boodi-small-places.png\/thumb\/w720 720w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/570\/boodi-small-places.png\/thumb\/w600 600w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/570\/boodi-small-places.png\/thumb\/w360 360w\" alt=\"Photograph of four people, of which one is dressed in a wedding dress, and another is in a suit and hat.\" width=\"803\" height=\"530\" \/><figcaption><i>Piia Peltola, Aino Pennanen, Boodi Kabbani and Janna R\u00e4s\u00e4nen. Image: Riikka Oksanen.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Kabbani says that his theatre group goes to the smallest places around Finland, where Kabbani might be the first person of colour they have seen.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 But when I am not framed as an immigrant on the stage, then they see that I am like them.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 There is a lot to learn from the \u201dwe\u201d culture, Polat points out.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 You Middle Easterners could teach us Finns some things on social interaction, Blomqvist jokingly states.<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 Yeah, Finns could really practice their social skills, Kabbani laughs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Text: Nana Blomqvist<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Panel:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Moderator<\/p>\n<p><strong>Nana Blomqvist<\/strong>\u00a0has during the past years worked as a freelance journalist for Yle and for Ny Tid, coordinated a trauma mapping investigation on asylum seekers\u2019 mental wellbeing, coordinated a group for refugee and undocumented women, and was the Project Manager of the &#8220;Vem \u00e9 man&#8221; project and currently serves in the same capacity at the Inter Nordic cooperation project on equality work with a focus on masculinity.<\/p>\n<p>Panelistst<\/p>\n<p><strong>Harry Lunabba<\/strong>\u00a0has a PhD in social work and teacher in social science who has been engaged in the field of masculinity and masculinities for a long time. He has received the Statsr\u00e5det Mauritz Hallbergs award and published several articles and has edited the rather recent anthology &#8220;Poikatutkimus&#8221; (Boyhood research).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Boodi Kabbani<\/strong>\u00a0is an activist and actor from Syria, living in Finland who is known for playing the protagonist in the award-winning movie &#8220;A Moment in the Reeds&#8221;. He is also performing a role in the recent Swedish TV show &#8220;Agent Hamilton&#8221; and the Finnish TV series &#8220;Cargo&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ahmet Polat<\/strong>\u00a0is a visual artist who has worked with different forms of art since 20 years, has received several awards and had exhibitions in different countries, among others, Turkey, Greece and the Netherlands. One of his most recent works is the film &#8220;The Myth of Men&#8221;, in which he investigates some of the core codes of masculinity, but also the unpredictable.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ira Virtanen<\/strong>\u00a0holds a PhD in Interpersonal communication, specialising in issues regarding same sex friendships, vulnerability, and potential need of supportive actions in interpersonal communication. As a result of her more recent research she has developed an intercommunication support model for young men. The model is an eight-week long group process.<\/p>\n<p>Services that are reaching out for boys, mentioned in the panel:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/poikientalo.fi\/\">Poikien talo<\/a>\u00a0(Loistosettlementti)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hyvakysymys.fi\/puhelin\/poikien-puhelin\/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_fr3x52Q6AIVj-iaCh180AKoEAAYASAAEgKV_vD_BwE\">Poikien puhelin<\/a>\u00a0(V\u00e4est\u00f6liitto)<\/p>\n<p>This article was written within the project Internordic cooperation in equality work focused on Masculinity, funded by NIKK \u2013 Nordic Council of Ministers.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image block-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/592\/nikk2.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/592\/nikk2.png\/thumb\/w1200 1200w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/592\/nikk2.png\/thumb\/w720 720w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/592\/nikk2.png\/thumb\/w600 600w, https:\/\/finncult.be\/files\/output\/592\/nikk2.png\/thumb\/w360 360w\" alt=\"Logo for the Nordic Council of Ministers.\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Article based on the Youth\/Masculinities panel discussion organised on the 6th of November 2019 in The National Museum of Finland, as part of the Institute&#8217;s RE\/defining Masculinities Helsinki week. The article is written by the journalist Nana Blomqvist, working as the Project Coordinator for Ekvalita&#8217;s masculinity programme &#8220;Vem \u00e9 man?&#8221; &#8211; an important partner in the Institute&#8217;s RE\/defining Masculinities project.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":11220,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[71,68],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-masculinities","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Masculinity - what on earth is that? - Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/finncult.be\/masculinity-what-on-earth-is-that\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"nl_NL\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Masculinity - what on earth is that? - Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Article based on the Youth\/Masculinities panel discussion organised on the 6th of November 2019 in The National Museum of Finland, as part of the Institute&#039;s RE\/defining Masculinities Helsinki week. 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