Unmasking Hypermasculinity
Multimedia | Animation | Projection Mapping | Print design | 3D Modeling
The three most toxic words to young black men are “Be a man.” From an early age, boys are taught to hide their emotions behind the mask of hypermasculinity. This mask exaggerates qualities such as physical strength, aggression, and sexual dominance.
The mask of hypermasculinity can lead to violence, abuse of women, and buried emotions. This project highlights the problem of hypermasculinity by placing negative imagery prevalent in the media into a new environment and de-normalizing such imagery.
As young black men and others in society become more aware of this prevalent and oppressive mask, we can begin to change harmful stereotypes. Young black men can create their own definition of what it means to “be a man.”
