Reshuffling the Masculinities Deck: How Subordinate Men From Progressive Privileged Social Backgrounds Mobilize Sexual Consent Narratives to Enhance Their Social Status

Abstract

In recent years, feminist activism and the MeToo movement have placed a spotlight on male privilege in sexuality and raised awareness of the high prevalence of sexual violence. Within this context, men are increasingly expected to respect women’s consent in their heterosexual encounters. This study employs in-depth interviews with thirty-nine educated and economically privileged heterosexual men to examine which types of men adopt egalitarian sexual norms and how and why they do so. The findings reveal that progressive men who are shy and socially awkward employ narratives of sexual consent to legitimize their traditionally disparaged sexual behaviors, such as the wait-and-see attitudes and verbal communication strategies that do not align with traditional expectations of manhood. In doing so, they construct an image of themselves as “safe guys” who do not perpetuate sexual violence. This not only enhances their sex appeal to women but also increases their influence within their peer groups. Through the use of sexual consent narratives, shy and socially awkward men who previously embodied subordinate masculinities transition to hybrid masculinities and thus gain greater access to social resources.