“The Mask You Live In” examines contemporary masculinity. What messages do boys and men receive from popular culture, sports, and the media? What happens to kids when the traits that have been feminized are devalued over and over again? In this film, men from various backgrounds share the impact of their upbringing, relationships with their fathers, their struggles, and the deliberate choices they’ve made in raising their own children. Being expected to “man up” from a very young age exacts a heavy price on boys—and thus on girls living in a patriarchal culture. More information about the film and director Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s previous documentary, “Miss Representation,” is online. A trailer also is online.
The event is sponsored by the React to Film Longhorn Chapter, and a discussion will follow the film.
Location: Welch Hall, Room 2.308 (WEL), University of Texas campus