Smith Slap Should Be Put in Context of Gender, Race
posted by Myles Ortiz | April 12, 2022 | In OpinionAs CNN reported, “Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, which did not appear to go over well with her husband Will Smith…Smith walked toward him on stage and slapped Rock on the face.”
I think is important to note is that both Will Smith and Chris Rock are Black men. This is a group that has historically been very bound by stereotypes and societal expectations.
Diana Kendall, a sociology professor at Baylor University defined gender roles as “the attitudes, behavior, and activities that are socially defined as appropriate for each sex and that are learned through the socialization process.”
As a man, there is a great societal expectation placed on Smith in that situation, not only as a husband but, as a Black man.
A 2015 study in the academic journal Family & Community Health stated: “African American men’s views of themselves and their definitions of manhood differ from the conceptions of manhood that are often used by white men.”
Black toxic masculinity is a uniquely compelling force in the Black community that has roots in white supremacy, internalized racism, internalized homophobia, and misogyny. Black men as a group are expected to be strong, hyper-masculine, dominant protectors.
It’s important to address how even though this stems from the overall trend in society to deem women as delicate and in need of protection; it also places constraints on men to be strong protectors and providers. This system is what Kendall refers to as patriarchy: “a hierarchical system of social organization in which cultural, political, and economic structures are controlled by men.”
Even though men are able to dominate society with greater capacity than women, they, too, face negative consequences from the system we have created. Many men do not wish to spend their lives attempting to subscribe to the idea of being a strong protector and provider. These people often face criticism from our society for rejecting these expectations despite the relative success that women have had in the same field.
This is a reflection of what Kendall called our gender belief system: “the ideas regarding masculine and feminine attributes that are held to be valid in society.”
It is this motivating force that compelled Smith to react with aggression at the Academy Awards.
Photo courtesy of Harold Neal
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.