Masculinidades adquiridas: análise do discurso publicitário e suas soluções para os problemas da masculinidade tóxica

Abstract

The questions about the arbitrary masculine power raised the discussion about a supposed masculine crisis, which brings with it the debate about toxic masculinity, as patterns of behavior with negative consequences for the whole society. Recently, the debate on toxic masculinity has gained media space, including in the field of advertising discourse, which, due to market demands, points to the need to transform contemporary masculinities as a solution to the problems of the male gender. Based on this perspective, in this work we carried out a discourse analysis from a Foucault’s perspective, having as the corpus of the analysis three advertising videos of hygiene products aimed at the male audience. The results indicate that advertising seeks to suggest a model of flexible masculinity, associated with characteristics considered traditionally feminine and free to consume aesthetic products and services without having their masculine identity questioned. Thus, advertising subverts toxic masculinity, reconfigures male identities and re-appropriates the hegemonic system.