The male gender construct:

film potrayal and gender mainstreaming.

Abstract

Generally, how men are presented in cinematic medium tells how the representation speaks about them and their societies. The portrayal of men and the attendant representation should be progressive to transform their masculine behaviours and practices. This paper addresses the male gender construct and its attendant masculine representation in the following Kenyan Drama Films: Nairobi Half-life [2O2O] by Tosh Gitonga, The Village Casanova [2O1O] by Simon Nduti and Fifty Fifty [2O2O] by Simon Muiruri. While acknowledging existence of Marginal and Aspirational masculinity in Kenya as described by Izugbara and Egesa [ 2O17], This paper also attempts to glimpse into how they are represented in the chosen films and the attendant consequential societal “boomerang” effect this has on gender mainstreaming. The primary data obtained from thematic analysis of the chosen films unveils masculinities shaped by gender, social and economic status of the men who are shown to ascribe to them. The masculinities of the characters are complex, fluid and driven by their socio-cultural economic perspectives. They regularly clash with the progressive realities opposing the hegemonic masculine ideals in the fast changing world. The retrogressive masculine connotations ascribed to the men through filmic representation are his major undoing in the modern day gender realignment struggles. Negative portrayal showing men as patriarchal and hegemonic may fuel gender disharmony because cinema has a monumental influence in changing people’s perspectives and attitudes. Representations of Males in less chauvinistic viewpoints are needed to steer the society towards gender equilibrium.