*The emergence of Young Thug in the hip-hop universe had attracted quite a bit of backlash. His unique fashion sense, persona, and lyrics were polarizing the whole industry. One moment you’ll see him wearing black jeans and a tank top, and then he’s rocking a pink tutu and a leopard print skirt. This is the exact reason he was targeted with a lot of slanders.
While lots of people were seen trolling his identity, there were also people who understood his challenge to hegemonic masculinity. This sort of masculinity refers to the dominant and alpha male sort of persona. A professor of Africana Studies, Dr. Earl Wright, had also stated that Young Thug was revaluating the hip-hop society, for what it means to be masculine.
The philosophical thought process that identifies ‘sex organs don’t determine if you’re male or female’ has a lot to play here. The socially accepted male personality is supposed to be within a spectrum of behaviors that have been acceptable historically. This personality is molded onto you by teachers, family, friends, people’s reactions, and most importantly – the media. The last construct is exactly what Young Thug plans to challenge.
Strange is not the right term to describe Young Thug unique is perhaps a better adjective. Everything people don’t understand is always resented, and this is why he got ridiculed by the whole hip-hop community which represents hegemonic masculinity norms. This didn’t stop Young Thug – in fact, he took it up a notch by calling his friends hubby, lover, and bae. He even refuses to be apologetic for this behavior – which is saying something in the hip-hop community.
While his actions were condemned quite openly, many other celebrities are seen working for the same cause. Channing Tatum and Dennis Rodman are seen portraying roles comedically, but with the same agenda in mind. If you don’t know what we’re talking about, you can check out Tatum’s reenactment of Beyonce’s song as a drag queen. Dennis Rodman, on the other hand, was seen trying wedding dresses, but his mental state was deemed by the social media as “troubled and unbalanced.”
While our society tries to accept these people who are trying to reinforce a change, you can ask yourself a few questions. Does your masculinity reject and exclude other levels of masculinity? Or does your masculinity uplift other masculinities and accept them as their own? We’re confident that every assortment of masculinity in the black community can bring about unique and thriving colors for the whole world.
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