Susan Douglas

Masculinity emphasizes aggressiveness and leads to violence, argues Susan Douglas in the following viewpoint. Douglas, a professor of communications studies at the University of Michigan, states that if aggressive behavior is tolerated as part of maleness, then the result will be greater violence toward others, particularly women. Society should not foster or accept aggressiveness as part of masculine behavior, she contends; instead, young men should be encouraged to recognize peaceableness and respect as part of masculinity.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to FBI statistics, as cited by the author, how much more often are athletes reported to the police for sexual assault than the average male college student?
2. In Douglas’s view, what is the dominant image of masculinity?
3. According to Bernard Lefkowitz, as quoted by Douglas, what do schools not consider to...