UNLV Sigmas host conversation on manhood
“There are two types of black masculinity. The first is the athletic, aggressive type. The second is the social, networking type,” said African American studies and curriculum and instructions professor Theodore Ransaw.
On Thursday, students and members of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity discussed the concept of masculinity within the black community and what it means to be a black man in American culture.
At the “Elements of a Black Man” lecture, Ransaw talked about the various ways that black men and women are portrayed in the media.
“In the African American community, the athletic, aggressive type of masculinity is more accepted and the more predominant image of black masculinity in the media.”
Ransaw talked about the origin of studies on different forms of masculinity, noting that studying women’s and African Americans’ oppression helped to launch the study of masculinity within the black community.
Ransaw addressed the relative benefits of physical skills and social skills.
“Sometimes using your head is better than using your body,” Ransaw said. “Obama says that a young black boy with a book is an outcast. We need to change that.”
Rodney Smith, Phi Beta Sigma president and publisher of “Our Own Voices” shared his thoughts on black masculinity and the difficulty of being a black man in today’s world.
“No matter what I do, the only thing people see and hear is that I am black,” Smith said.
Smith talked about what he feels holds not only back memmbers of racial minorities in tge U.S.
“A good percentage of it now is stereotypes, the media and ourselves,” Smith said. “We have also created a dependency on others to support us because we don’t own anything.”
La’ Keshia Overstreet, a kinesiology major, shared a similar thought about what she said holds minorities back.
“People in general have a perception of how black people are,” Overstreet said. “Black people also have a perception of how they are supposed to be because they get caught up in stereotypes. Lack of communication plays a big part in it. People don’t want to get together. When people get together they can talk about things and grow.”
Smith explained what he believes has promoted the success of black people who hold positions of power, attributing much to the effects of affirmative action.
“We’ve always had the potential,” Smith said, “but laws and societal pressures held us back. Affirmative action forced certain sections of society to give us an opportunity.”
Discussing how the election of President Barack Obama has impacted ideas about black masculinity, Smith said having a black President gives people someone to look up to and raises the bar for everyone.
Smith offered advice for young black children in America:
“Make your own odds. Don’t go to school just to work for someone else and don’t think that the only place you can learn is at school.”
“I would venture to say that you all can create your own image,” Smith said. “A positive one.”
