School is an important place where everybody needs to attend to if they want to have a good future. It’s supposed to be a safe place for everybody to learn, except that this is not the case for everyone. Some people go to school and they are terrorized because they could get attacked anywhere at anytime. They get bullied almost everyday and suffer a lot from it. They don’t want to go to school after that because the same cycle happens everyday for them and it’s not how it’s supposed to be. Bullies attack people for no reason everyday and most of the time, the victim doesn’t tell anyone because he thinks either it’s going to be useless or it’s going to get worse. We’ll be seeing more deeply the sexual violence, the physical violence and involvement of schools towards the reports of the students.
First of all, school fights happen way more than you would think. According to a research by CBC news, in Ontario, there is more than 2100 violent incidents per year, which is approximately more than 10 cases a day. Most of the time, parents don’t even know about the fights at their kid’s school and don’t know either about the amount of fights that they have weekly. They see police officers at their kid’s school all the time but have no idea why they are here. During an interview with the CBC Marketplace, several parents agreed to know how many violent incident was there at their kid’s school per year to assure their security. Jayden Trudell is a 15 year old boy who almost lost his life because of a bully who gave him a blind-side attack to the head leaving him unconscious and badly wounded. Luckily, he managed to survive and recover from this tragic situation. CBC news also discovered that 40 percent of high school boys reported being physically assaulted at least once in their life and that 1/5 of them have been threatened with a weapon.
Secondly, sexual abuse happens a lot as well. Even in Primary school, little girls get sexually harassed. CBC Marketplace interviewed the mother of a young girl who was sexually abused in the school bus at 9 years old. Some girls don’t tell the authorities about being sexually harassed because they think it will make everything worse. A girl that got interviewed by CBC Marketplace admitted that she went to consult a guidance counselor to report that she was sexually assaulted and the counselor didn’t know what to do. 1/4 girls say they faced unwanted sexual touching and grabbing at school and 1/7 of these say they were sexually assaulted by another student. Only 1/4 of the girls who actually reported a rape were satisfied by the school’s reaction and 3/5 girls say they didn’t report sexual violence to the school because they know nothing will happen or change. 4000 students across Canada answered a survey about sexual assaults and violent incidents and 41 percent of the boys say they were physically assaulted at high school.
Schools don’t show their stats concerning the amount of fight that happen per year. They keep sexual assaults secrets. 77% of Ontario schools reported that they had 0 case of physical assault for the whole year. Some of the schools keep their violence incidents secret but will give the information wanted for fees.
I think that some schools are not well prepared for the safety of their students and also think that they should change that as soon as possible because it is important for a child to learn in a safe place where he doesn’t have to worry about being hurt because it can cause some trauma and prevent them from learning correctly.
Fighting has been part of the NHL and other professional hockey leagues since their inceptions, but why does it continue to be part of the game? Fighting in the NHL is governed by “the code”, a set of somewhat ambiguous rules that have often been mis-interpreted by the athletes who follow them. The purpose of the code is to protect “star” players — athletes who aren’t very big, but are extremely skilled at playing hockey, and who score a large number of goals per season. When given the chance, athletes on an opposing team will try to get away with legal or, more often than not, illegal hits on a star player. If athletes are hit multiple times per game, every game, their hockey career won’t last very long, and professional hockey teams want to keep their star players as long as they can. The solution to this problem was to hire athletes who were encouraged to embody extreme masculine traits such as being intimidating and aggressive. These “enforcers” protect star players from being hit too much, and routinely fight the athletes on the opposing teams to maintain the threat of violence for the length of the game. Fighting in hockey reduces the chances of a star athlete getting hit, but it also promotes violence on the hockey rink, and ultimately normalizes the spectre of fighting amongst the viewers and fans. Simply put, the debate revolves around whether or not fighting should be banned outright in professional hockey, to protect the athletes from injury, or if it should be kept, to avoid potentially more dangerous injuries such as brain trauma. There are many arguments in favour of allowing fighting; however, many of these seem more like rationalizations.
Enforcers, who have spent many seasons fighting and who receive many hits to the head, could easily develop chronic brain conditions such as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). This is the result violence being permitted and encouraged on the ice, theoretically in order to protect against more dangerous injuries caused by “high sticking”. Fighting in hockey can provoke a very emotional response from the fans of the sport, if the designated fighter from one team beats the fighter from an opposing team: the winning fighter’s fans will feel pride in their team. However, collaterally, this level of emotion and blind loyalty can cause fighting amongst rival fans, and even fighting amongst the fans and players. The unnecessarily extreme aggressiveness imposed on the enforcers can cause them “…to take (physical) risks, and become violent if necessary” (David and Brannon, 1976). Many hockey enforcers can feel forced by “The Code” to fight, even when they don’t want to. Don Sanderson, a hockey player who died during a fight in a hockey match, had actually claimed that his goal for that season was not to fight. Marty McSorley took a cheap shot on Donald Brashear because he had to uphold his end of The Code, resulting in Brashear’s suffering a 3rd degree concussion. The problem with any code is that it make many people, falsely justify their actions. Many men find comfort in having a code to follow, as it provides some sense of order, however codes can be very detrimental to those who follow them. This level of commitment to achievement is common in very physically demanding sports (David and Brannon, 1976). Ironically his own fighting ultimately ended McSorley’s hockey career. If fighting were to be removed from hockey altogether, neither Brashear nor McSorley would have been under pressure, nor would have felt like they needed to be aggressive on the rink.
Other hockey players have made other suggestions: Nick Kypreos, a former Toronto Maple Leaves enforcer said that “if you want to take it (fighting) out, just take it out” (The Fifth Estate, 2010), proposing that fighting could, simply, not be tolerated. Kypreos claims that he didn’t want to fight but he felt like he had to prove himself to his team. The need to prove himself caused Kypreos to eventually quit his job as an NHL hockey player. He was getting too old and, further, was knocked out by another enforcer, losing both respect and his own dignity as a hockey enforcer. Respect is one of the cornerstones of being an enforcer, and if an enforcer cannot intimidate the other team, they cannot do their job.
According to Don Cherry, a hockey commentator and former hockey player and coach, the majority of the fan base of hockey leagues enjoys fighting in hockey games. Many blue collar hockey fans of minor leagues have “always loved their hard working tough guys” (Eric Beman, The Fifth Estate, 2010) such as John Mirasty, an enforcer in a hockey minor league. Many blue collar workers have very frustrating and repetitive jobs, which can cause people to need relief from stress the jobs cause (Kilmartin, 2019); watching sports with the occasional fight is how many people relieve their stress. Mirasty claimed in an interview with The Fifth Estate that he loves fighting: “without it you wouldn’t have hockey, you’d have figure-skating on ice.” This quote emphasizes that to Mirasty along with many other enforcers, playing hockey is about being “the man”, and that every time he fights, he’s fighting to defend his honour as a man.
On the other hand, the majority of people who don’t identify themselves as hockey fans, think that hockey has become too violent, and would refrain from letting their children participate in the sport (Angus Reid Institute). Many hockey players, too, don’t like the fighting in hockey; and many enforcers only keep doing their job because they want to stay in the NHL. In fact, the only thing both camps have agreed on is that the NHL has poorly handled the situation. In order to provide the fans, the athletes, and the people who are against fighting with a satisfactory outcome, the NHL needs to come up with a suitable solution. Those who are anti-fighting would agree that hockey isn’t a martial sport like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and shouldn’t have fighting in it, let alone encourage it.
The NHL isn’t thinking about the athletes who are put into positions where they need to fight other athletes in order to keep their jobs; rather, they’re thinking about the pro-fighting fans who currently seem to demand the violence that comes with the game. The truth is that people would most likely still watch hockey even if there were a ban put on fighting. The Code was a system that was created to protect hockey players, but it has not protected them. Instead, it has created a cadre of 60 jobs in the NHL of people who generally don’t like doing what they’re doing, but still feel that they have to.
In the last 15 years, fighting in hockey, has turned into a controversial debate topic not only in the world of hockey, but in our everyday lives. People argue whether or not fighting should be allowed in hockey. This debate started after retired NHL players who were “enforcers”, started developing CTE-like symptoms. Enforcers are players who fight for their team, to protect the star and smaller players on the team.
I’ve been playing hockey for the past 10 years, since I was 7 years old, and the debate whether or not fighting should be allowed in hockey. In the early stages of my career, there was very little physical contact between players. Therefore, I never understood why there was fighting at the professional levels. However, as I grew up, physical contact between players started and I slowly understood why fighting is allowed. As of right now, I believe that fighting should be allowed despite the possible devastating consequences.
Fighting is crucial in hockey because it makes the game itself safer. Hockey is a very physical sport with players ramming into each other trying to hit their opponents onto boards or hard ice, at extremely high speeds. Usually, big hits are targeted at the star players and there is not much an opposing team could do about it. “The code” in hockey is a set of unwritten rules that every hockey player follows. One of these rules is that you fight and protect your teammates at all costs. Therefore if your star player is hit, you make sure by any means necessary that it doesn’t happen again. Fighting is one way to ensure a player doesn’t hit your teammate again. This leads to players trying to avoid hitting a star player since they know that it will lead to them getting in a fight, possibly getting injured, and spending 5 minutes inside the penalty box. Without fighting, small star players such as Wayne Gretzky, never would’ve reached their level of greatness if fighting was not allowed. Despite the injuries that occur during fights, fighting is still safer than hitting. Throughout a full season, there are plenty more injuries that are a result of hitting compared to fighting. A few fights per season is definitely safer for the overall safety of players compared to thousands of big hits or “cheap shots”.
For the rare occasion I agree with what Don Cherry said about this debate, which is that most people who are against fights, have never played hockey and only watch hockey occasionally. That being said, these people do not understand the game of hockey and “the code”, and therefore cannot understand why fighting should still be part of the game.
Although I believe fighting should still be permitted, I strongly believe that the NHL should acknowledge the risks that go along with fighting, such as concussions that can develop into CTE. If the NHL would acknowledge this it would no longer be the league’s fault, leaving the players responsible for their actions.
In conclusion, I believe that fighting should continue to be permitted in hockey since it makes the game itself safer. However the NHL should acknowledge the risks of fighting, making players take responsibility for their actions.
It is a scene all too familiar in sporting events. A star player is hit by the opposing team and the rest of the teammates come to aid with tightly curled fists and a plan to strike. The head injuries, split lips and bruised knuckles, broken bones and busted teeth are all supposedly connected to one common cause: to defend a teammate. “Toxic masculinity” in sports is an opportunity to question the truth behind aggressiveness in hockey and why players feel compelled to engage.
The things that make hockey; and many other sports so interesting are the same things that make it so dangerous; the fights. The drop of a glove is a sign to the opposing player that he’s ready to fight; ready to prove his perseverance and dominance. Protecting your teammates is “the essence of hockey’s unwritten law”(Fifth Estate); a code that means having your teammates back and preparing to fight when they’re in need. In Don Sharey’s words, “ You give a cheap shot to one of our players, you should pay the price. If a guy is down, you don’t hit him…you have to fight with honour.” Does fighting with honour mean giving another player a concussion? Coming from a hockey family, I’ve learned that there’s more to fighting than simply covering for a teammate. Hockey players are drafted for having high levels of speed and stamina, for being strong, big and brave, and some players are solely acknowledged for fighting. According to Kilmartin, “…, most men in the Western world define themselves according to their jobs (Men at Work)”, thus explaining why hockey players like Don Sanderson may feel obliged to fight.
Similarly to hockey, the coordination, mental determination, speed, courage and incredible core and lower body strength makes figure skating no easy sport to learn. Mostly dominated by women, figure skating is generally associated with being more “feminine” because it requires wearing “girly clothes and accessories”, like sparkly dresses and makeup. Speaking from experience, it’s important to be emotional on the ice. Facial expressions allow the audience to connect to the skater and understand the story he/she is trying to tell. An obvious difference between figure skating and hockey is that there’s no tolerance for violence or they will be suspended from the competition. John Mirasty, NHL hockey player, interprets hockey without fighting as “figure skating on ice”. Kilmartin points out that, “Males are encouraged from an early age to avoid behaviours, interest, and personality traits that are considered “feminine” (Defining Mens Studies)”, hence another probable reason why he’d associate non-violence in hockey with figure skating.
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), is a disease caused by repetitive head impacts to the brain, resulting in aggression, depression, memory loss and confusion. Primarily recognized in athletes, CTE can only be diagnosed in an autopsy after death. Jennifer Belak, wife of former NHL hockey player Wade Belak, noticed that the last few seasons of his hockey career was an emotional roller coaster. Some days he was overly excited and happy, other days he was aggressive, angry and sometimes suicidal. On August 31, 201, Wade committed suicide as a result of CTE. Many men have been taught to “ignore emotions, especially if it is connected to feelings of weakness or powerlessness (Men at Work).” Men who express insecurity are considered “weak”, causing boys to grow up and think that it’s not okay to express weakness and vulnerability; that being why Wade may have felt overwhelmed by his emotions that also strained his relationship with his wife and kids.
To conclude, hockey isn’t just a game, it’s a lifestyle. Every player who laces up their skates has a chance of not coming home to their families. The blood, sweat and tears spilled on their jersey shouldn’t come from a punch to the head, but rather the sacrifice and achievement of a hard working athlete. “Toxic masculinity”continues to grow within male athletes to be stronger, faster and bigger, but they must learn that being the toughest guy in the league means nothing if you don’t have the passion and heart to play the sport.
Works Cited
Christopher Kilmartin and Andrew P. Smiler. “Men at Work: Jobs, Careers and Masculinity.”
The Masculine Self, Cornwall On Hudson, NY, Sloan Publishing, 2019, pp. 221-226, 228-235.
Kilmartin, Christopher, and Andrew P. Smiler. “Defining Men’s Studies.” The Masculine Self,
Cornwall On Hudson, NY, Sloan Publishing, 2019, pp. 1–7.
The stereotypical North American model of masculinity dictates that a ‘real man’ is one who is “heterosexual, Protestant, father, of college education, fully employed, of good complexion, weight, and height, and a recent record in sports” (Kimmel 2). Hockey is a sport that is primarily influenced these masculine norms that are evident in its fights, competition, and violence. These norms harm hockey players and their families. The present text has the intention to illustrate the unfavorable results that hockey fights and current masculine ideals provoke on NHL hockey players’ mental and physical health, their work performance, their families, and their social relations with other men.
Associating masculinity with job performance could be beneficial for hockey players and their families when things go well. However, if the player is experiencing defeats and poor performances, he would be likely to meet frustration. Low performance could be the result of injuries product of hockey and its fights, the pressure put on the player to satisfy the family’s demands of a provider, and the tensión between the player opinions about fighting and what the NHL requires from him when the player does not want to fight even though he knows that it is the only way of having a career as a hockey player in the NHL. The frustration may be caused by the desire of having a successful career in hockey, satisfying the role of the breadwinner, but having no control over his success in hockey. Players cannot choose not to fight and not to suffer injuries or death produced by the sport and its fights. Frustration is not only damaging for the individual who suffers from it but also for his family. Players, who do not know how to deal with work frustration, feel powerless and eventually fall into depression and/or express these emotions by becoming violent. Unfortunately, spouses and children also pay the consequences of job frustration when the player and father endorses “current masculine norms,”(Kilmartin 232) and do not know how to deal effectively with emotions. (Kilmartin 232-233) Thus, the frustration and the impossibility of controlling success in hockey lead players to have a poor job performance and unhealthy family relationships.
Hockey is a sport that portrays masculinity. Competition and violence are the most prominent characteristics of hockey and current masculine ideals. On one hand, “competition is one component of masculinity that seems to contribute boy’s and men’s difficulty achieving relational intimacy,”(Kilmartin 165) and on the other hand, violence reinforces masculine ideals that advise how men should behave and react in life. Hockey players are taught to be competitive and aggressive since they start playing. Then, competition becomes a lifestyle. Research has shown that competition generates relational distance between men. (Cunningham, 1992 as cited in Kilmartin 166). Hockey players avoid intimacy not only with their teammates but also with all people that could harm them by using their weaknesses and vulnerabilities against them. It leads them to believe that they have to solve all the problems by themselves and ask for no help. “The masculine demand for Independence and self-sufficiency also inhibits self-disclosure” (Kilmartin 165). “These men feel less need to talk to others when they have problems,” (Kilmartin 166) and are more likely to suffer from depression due to a lack of social support (Kilmartin 166). High competitive and violent environments, such as the NHL, creates difficulties for players to establish Deep male-male friendships and re-formulate their ideals of masculinity.
The Hockey fights in the NHL a prejudice players’ physical and mental health. First of all, the chances of having brain injuries increase when players have physical confrontations during a hockey match. Chronic Trauma Encephalopathy (CTE) is one of the most damaging outcomes of hockey fights not only for the players but also for their families. CTE is a silent illness that, according to Dr. Ann McKee, “catches up several years to even a decade later” on players. It causes an emotional breakdown in the victims of CTE when it reaches its peak of development. Usually, these people know that there is something wrong going on their minds but they cannot explain it or associate it with CTE produced by the hockey fights. Eventually, CTE may result in substance abuse, depression, memory loss, and, in the worst scenario, suicide when it does not receive a proper psychological treatment. Also, as discussed previously in the present text, men, who subscribe to the masculine ideology of self-sufficiency, are less likely to ask for help when they face a problem in their lives. Therefore, CTE consumes their lives. Secondly, as an important fact to consider, the NHL does not effectively protect players from CTE. The NHL claims that without wearing globes and helmets during a fight, fighters are protected from suffering major injuries. However, the reality is different. Hockey players get major injuries and even some of them die on the ice field. Hockey players’ careers get to an end because of major injuries produced by the nature of violence in the sport and/or the fights. Those players who luckily make it to retirement without apparently major injuries, may probably develop CTE soon and therefore get extremely affected by it. Mostly, they have to deal with emotional conflicts that they do not understand, and so do their families. The worst scenario for a player’s family is when the player dies either from fighting or suicide. Hockey players and their families suffer the negative outcomes of hockey fights and the NHL does not take effective actions to prevent hockey players from suffering from CTE or dying on the ice field.
It is essential to understand, reevaluate and change the traditional model of masculinity where the men have to be the breadwinner and self-sufficient. It has had catastrophic effects not only on the hockey players but also on their families. This is evident in male-male poor and shallow relationships, players’ mental and physical health, the grief and challenges that families have to endure when they have a husband and father who is a victim of CTE. As one of the solutions, men need to learn to be emotionally expressive and vulnerable. It is important to clarify that vulnerability does not mean weak but to be human. For a long time, NHL players have suppressed their natural feelings because of fear and desire for a successful career in hockey. However, this is the best time for hockey players and their families to stand up and back away from fear and to start demanding for hockey without fights. Hockey, like any other sport, brings happiness to both players and fans. It should not bring fear, frustration, grief, illness, and even death to their players.
Cited Works
Kimmel, Michael.“Masculinity.” International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Ed. William A. Darity, Jr. 2nd ed. Vol. 5. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008. 1-5. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 9 June 2014. 1-5. Print.
Kilmartin, Christopher and Andrew P. Smiler “Men at Work: Jobs, Careers and Masculinity.” Masculine Self, Cornwall On Hudson, NY, Sloan Publishing, 2019, pp. 221-226,228– 235.
Kilmartin, Christopher and Andrew P. Smiler. “No Man Is an Island: Men in Relationships.” The Masculine Self, Cornwall On Hudson, NY, Sloan Publishing, 2019, pp. 161–171.
“Oh, Canada”. Much like the national anthem, hockey has been a national emblem for as far as Canadians can remember. It has shaped the dreams of many little boys, who traded hockey cards and dreamt to one day proudly stand in the Bell Center, playing for their favorite NHL team. However, behind the glorious wins and the emotional games, come hockey fights, and with those come injuries, mental illness, and even death. Looking at this issue from a “masculinity” perspective makes it easier to see that these fights and their negative impacts on players’ lives are, in fact, a product of society’s rules of manhood. More particularly, the strong effect hockey fights have on a player’s career, family and mental health are all linked to what we, as a society, define to be masculine.
For starters, how does society’s definition of masculinity normalize hockey fights? An important aspect of men’s masculinity is “status and achievement” (Kilmartin and Smiler, “Defining Men’s Studies” 5) which is why men feel pressured to be ambitious and always strive to reach the top. Another major component is the “willingness to take risks and become violent if necessary” (Kilmartin and Smiler, “Defining Men’s Studies” 6). This explains why many men have accepted to be the fighters in their hockey teams. According to The Code, a documentary about hockey fights done by CBC’s The Fifth Estate, there are about “60 jobs in the NHL for guys who can’t play, but can fight”, referred to as enforcers (The Fifth Estate, “The Code”, 35:50-35:58). Their job is surprisingly, not to play the sport, but to provide protection to their teammates on the ice by engaging in fights. This gives them the high status and sense of success that comes with being an NHL player, and allows them to constantly display how “tough” and aggressive they are. This shows why hockey fights were not regulated for a long time; they correlated well with society’s expectations towards men so they were considered as a normal part of the game. According to the report, some even consider hockey a sport “based on intimidation.” (The Fifth Estate, “The Code”, 25:40-25:50). Thus, it is clear that the NHL would use these components of masculinity that are widely accepted by society to normalize the hockey fights and make them part of the entertainment.
Now that we understand better why these fights were commonly accepted for such a long time, it is interesting to link the consequences of these fights to masculinity. For one, society’s rules of manhood encourage hockey fights, negatively impacting men’s careers in the NHL. Take former enforcer Nick Kypreos, for example, who wanted to show how tough and aggressive he was by engaging in a violent hockey fight. He ended up not only losing the fight, but also his career due to serious injury. While these heavyweights are praised for their aggressiveness, enforcer Marty McSorely also lost his career in the NHL for living by this code and inflicting too great of an injury to an opponent player (The Fifth Estate, “The Code”, 18:08-19:07, 25:53-27:08). Yet, these two are still considered lucky. What about Don Sanderson, who lost his life on the ice rink because of a fight? Part of the problem is that this pro-fights mentality is so deeply rooted into many “hockey people.” For example, enforcer Jon Mirasty, also known as Nasty Mirasty for his excessive violence, even said that hockey without fighting is “figure-skating on ice” (The Fifth Estate, “The Code”, 21:32-21:45). Had it not been in the rules of manhood to be antifeminine (Kilmartin and Smiler, Defining Men’s Studies 5), there would be no shame in comparing hockey to a more “female dominated” sport such as figure skating. If society’s definition of masculinity did not expect men to be, as stated earlier, intimidating and aggressive, hockey fights would have been banned a long time ago and these players would probably have had more time to play their favorite sport. In short, hockey and fights are only inseparable because of the masculinity pushing players to be aggressive and do anything to be at the top of the game, and most of the time they end up having shorter careers because they either inflicted or received a too harsh injury, or even worse, died on the ice.
Society’s rules of manhood also play a role in the mental health issues resulting from hockey fights. Hockey players are taught to take off their helmets in a fight, because it can lead to a variety of hand injuries (The Fifth Estate, “The Code”, 23:27-23:50) – but what about protecting the head? Clearly, it seems that men do not need their head to perform the fighting, only their hands. Maybe had their heads been better protected, many hockey players would not have suffered concussions and later on, CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). Another documentary by The Fifth Estate provides several examples of players, such as Todd Ewen and Wade Belak who lost their lives due to depression and substance abuse caused by CTE, a disease that is very common with athletes. The problem is, this disease can only be diagnosed in an autopsy, meaning most ex-players do not even know about it, and keep having mood swings and losing control of their brain without an explanation (The Fifth Estate, “Hockey Fights: wives reveal the cost of the concussions” 13:00-13:50) . For example, according to Todd Ewen’s wife, Kelli, “one day [they] had the sad Todd, the mad Todd, the angry Todd” (The Fifth Estate,“Hockey Fights: wives reveal the cost of the concussions” 12:26-12:37), and because they did not make the link with CTE, Ewen always felt like he was losing his mind and suffered for years from not knowing what was wrong. In fact, one of the main components of masculinity is “inexpressiveness and independence”, which pressures men into being “independent and in control of themselves, even in the toughest situations” (Kilmartin and Smiler, Defining Men’s Studies 5). Research also shows that “when they are hurt, men are less likely than women to seek medical help” (qtd. In Kilmartin and Smiler, “Jobs, Careers and Masculinity” 232). This component of masculinity pushes players not to seek help when they are feeling depressed. Moreover, it is harder for them to talk about their emotions and mental health, because they have a “limited emotional vocabulary and framework” (Kilmartin and Smiler, “Fathers and Fathering” 186), and this can be very dangerous as seen with Belak and Ewen. Thus, masculinity is not only reinforcing hockey fights, it is also making their consequences much worse and much more dangerous when it comes to men’s mental health.
Three hockey enforcers (including Wade Belak) who died surprisingly young in the summer of 2011. According to CNN and to The Fifth Estate’s 2019 documentary, the three have had problems with substance abuse and depression. Source: CNN, http://edition.cnn.com/2011/SPORT/09/01/nhl.enforcers.deaths/index.html
Masculine studies can also help to better understand the consequences of hockey fights on the player’s family relationships. A hockey player may also be both a husband and a loving father, and with this brain injury he often struggles to connect with his loved ones. Both documentaries displayed several players whose family had to go through the terrifying experience of seeing them fight and hope that it does not end badly. As for players who, ten years later, start noticing the symptoms of CTE, they exhibit several behavioral problems that their wives often have to deal with and they struggle to bond with their children. For example, CBC’s documentary talks about Daniel Carcillo, who according to his wife “was always at home” while she was always taking the kids out. She also said that “he just didn’t want to connect with anyone, and sometimes that was with [her] too” (The Fifth Estate, “Hockey Fights: wives reveal the cost of the concussions” 1:25-1:57). For those who have taken their own lives, they have left their families broken. Some kids will grow up without a father, and according to Kilmartin and Smiler, “the quality of the adult son’s relationship with his father was significantly associated with the son’s level of mental health.” A father’s absence, even if it is simply an emotional absence like with Carcillo, has a strong impact on the children, particularly young boys. It also does “appear to have a lasting impact on men’s understanding of themselves and of their lives.” (qtd. Kilmartin and Smiler, “Fathers and Fathering 192). Luckily, Carcillo has made significant efforts to better himself and to connect more with his children, but we can also think of Wade Belak’s daughter, who wishes he could be there watching her games, “giving [her] a hug after a game, or high-fiving [her]” (The Fifth Estate, “Hockey Fights: wives reveal the cost of the concussions” 19:30-19:43). In short, masculinity in hockey fights takes away fathers from their families, consequently affecting the families as well.
Toxic masculinity clearly had its toll on the NHL’s attitudes concerning hockey fights. This shortens many players’ impressive careers, negatively impacts their mental health, and destroys their families in the process. However, as my own mother is a big hockey fan, I have witnessed the awareness about these fights grow, as the rules now are much more strict than they used to be. As the definition of masculinity is changing nowadays and becoming more inclusive, we might want to slow down the next time we hear “Oh, Canada!” in the beginning of a hockey match and consider what hockey we want to pass down to the next generation – an exciting game, or a suicide mission?
Works Cited Kilmartin, Christopher, and Andrew P. Smiler. “Defining Men’s Studies.” The ` Masculine Self, Cornwall On Hudson, NY, Sloan Publishing, 2019, pp. 1–7.
Christopher Kilmartin and Andrew P. Smiler. “Fathers and Fathering.” The Masculine Self, Cornwall On Hudson, NY, Sloan Publishing, 2019, pp. 180-182,185-195–171.
Christopher Kilmartin and Andrew P. Smiler. “Men at Work: Jobs, Careers and Masculinity.” The Masculine Self, Cornwall On Hudson, NY, Sloan Publishing, 2019, pp. 221-226, 228–235.
Cohen, Tom. “Three Hockey Enforcers Die Young in Four Months, Raising Questions.” CNN, Cable News Network, 1 Sept. 2011, edition.cnn.com/2011/SPORT/09/01/nhl.enforcers.deaths/index.html.
Fighting has been a fundamental part of hockey since its conception. Every team has players who are basically meant to fight, to stand up for their star players. However in recent years, fighting in the game has been getting more and more attention due to the risks that come with it. CBC’s Bob McKeown has tried to shine some light on the matter in two episodes of “The Fifth Estate”, which were made ten years apart from each other. However, it was the situation in the NHL remained the same.
We will start by looking at the term of masculinity. As Kilmartin mentions it, adventurousness and aggressiveness are considered “manly” terms, in the case of hockey, we look specifically at the aggressive trait, he mentions “Masculinity is characterized by a willingness to take (physical) risks and become violent if necessary”(p 6). This is shown in hockey, where we will see players whose roles are to fight and stand up for teammates, otherwise known as the “enforcers”. This is the guy that is not typically as skilled at the game as their teammates, but will be the first to pick fights. These are the players that will usually become violent when one of their teammates are targeted by the opposing team, instead of having the said player defend themselves, they will be the one standing up for their comrade. Kilmartin then later mentions “[…] bravery is prescribed for men while caution and cowardice are proscribed” (p 6). This essentially describes the role of the enforcers in hockey. Their sole purpose is to fight and stand up for their teammates, without their ability to fight, they will lose their job. They do not have any other choice but to become violent. This is seen in Bob McKeown’s documentary on hockey “Hockey fight: Wives reveal the cost of concussions” where he interviews many former NHL enforcers who shared a similar sentiment towards their role as a player. Fights happen in hockey, as there are players who stand up for teammates.
The next point is at the institutions, meaning our surroundings, the people who surround us. Kilmartin cites “This style involves an orientation toward dominance, competition, and rough-and-tumble play (Maccoby, 1998)” (p 164). From a young age, males are taught to be competitive and to show dominance in order to be seen well. This shows in hockey with fighters. They are showing their dominance facing the player they are fighting or when they deliver crushing hits. They are doing it in the spirit of competition in order to win the game, no matter the consequences. It is their job. They are not to back off from a fight. They will receive backlash if they do. It is their job as a “man” stand up and fight and not to back down.
Here we see that backing down is not seen positively, in this case it would be from a fight.
We can also look at the way that fighting is something that brings more attention to the NHL, therefore bringing in more money to the game. Men are seen as the breadwinners, and for some of the men in the game, fighting is their only way to make a living. Not only are they making a living for themselves, but they are also pawns(the enforcers) to the the king (the NHL) since they are what’s attracting audience.
In conclusion, fighting in hockey is big concern and needs to be taken more seriously considering the consequences it can cause. Fighting might be caused what the players consider as being “masculine” as well as their surroundings, what they are taught growing up as a child. This can shape someone’s mind into thinking fighting is good. After all, hockey is the only team game where fighting is allowed. How would you feel if basketball or soccer had fights as well?
Works Cited:
Kilmartin, Christopher, and Andrew P. Smiler. “Defining Men’s Studies.” The Masculine Self, Cornwall On Hudson, NY, Sloan Publishing, 2019, pp. 1–7
Kimmel, Michael.“Masculinity.” International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Ed. William A. Darity, Jr. 2nd ed. Vol. 5. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008. 1-5. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 9 June 2014. 1-5. Print
Christopher Kilmartin and Andrew P. Smiler. “No Man Is an Island: Men in Relationships.” The Masculine Self, Cornwall On Hudson, NY, Sloan Publishing, 2019, pp. 161–171.
McKeown, Bob. “Hockey fight: Wives reveal the cost of concussions.” cbc.ca NOV 24, 2019.
Bullying has long been recognized as a problem in schools, however in recent years, social media has shown more physical altercations than the public had known of. The CBC did an investigative story in 2019 on it and found some disturbing information on the severity of violence in schools. Violence in schools is a rampant problem in the education system caused by this ingrained perception of masculinity that is putting children in danger. The topics of the issue that will be discussed are physical violence, sexual violence and the response of schools to the issue.
Physical violence between boys is caused by the homogeneous concept of masculinity as it shapes how boys behave. According to a CBC survey of 4000 students, 41 per cent of boys say they were physically assaulted at high school. This could be because of the socialization that boys face while growing up. Men are supposed to be strong, aggressive, independent and most of all dominant (Kilmartin, Introduction to Men’s studies). This in turn influences them in how they act, how they perform gender, in this case masculinity. Gender is not a fixed part of one’s identity, rather, it is believed to be the result of interactions, compelled by those around them (Kimmel, Masculinity). Violence is one of those behaviors encouraged by others, as Kimmel puts it in his chapter about homophobia: “Violence is often the single most evident marker of manhood. Rather it is the willingness to fight, the desire to fight”. It is not solely, “boys being boys” or play fighting, as 1 in 5 boys threatened with a weapon, demonstrating premeditation and vicious intentions. This aggressiveness may stem from the desire to prove their dominance over others, through any means necessary. It has been stated by experts that “Masculinity has become a relentless test by which we prove to other men, to women, and ultimately to ourselves, that we have successfully mastered the part” (Kimmel, homophobia). These boys were often raised believing that they deserve to feel that power, but they do not, thus they seek to achieve it.
Sexual assault is the result of the belief that one is superior to women and hence they feel entitled to access them sexually. 26 per cent of girls say they experienced unwanted sexual contact at school. This could be because of the instillation of sexism as a concept at a young age due to the cultural concept of antifemininity. According to Kimmel in his work titled Masculinity, “The boy comes to define himself as a boy by rejecting whatever he sees as female, by devaluing the feminine in himself (separation) and in others (male superiority)”. As men were being taught gender roles through socialisation, learning that men are the most important, they also learned that women, by opposition, are not. They are often taught to value women as merely sexual (Kilmartin, Relationships), effectively encouraging sexual predation. This is a direct correlation to the evidence provided by the CBC that 1 in 7 girls are sexually assaulted by another classmate. These acts of violent conquest are effectively once more about domination and the drive for power associated with masculinity.
The victims do not seek aid from their schools as it is difficult for them and that their schools are unwilling to help them because, as an institution, they don’t see anything wrong with it. Almost half of high school students don’t report violence they’ve experienced or witnessed. This is because when they do, they themselves are blamed for it happening. Being told to “man up”, being slut shamed, being called a snitch or simply being not believed is why many students feel as if they’re on their own. Men, especially those who conform to masculine norms more, are generally not likely to see the need to talk to others when they encounter issues as men are supposed to be independent, avoiding communality or relying on others as that is viewed as feminine, thus shameful. Why do schools do this? It is quite simple, as since schools are an institution, they reinforce cultural values. Kimmel states: “Institutions themselves express a logic—a dynamic—that reproduces gender relations between women and men and the gender order of hierarchy and power”, therefore, they condone the principles behind these violent incidents. That is the philosophy is why despite 2100 violent incidents in Ontarian schools in one year, 77% of those schools report no such incidents publicly. However, in doing this, they endorse the continuation of this problem as they are aiding and abetting the perpetrators of physical and sexual violence in Canadian schools.
The homogeneous concept of masculinity has caused harm to children even in an area that is supposed to be safe, from both physical harm and the emotional harm of being refused help when they are in a difficult situation by putting them down. The information that the CBC has revealed has brought eye-opening facts to light in the public conscious. Now that the cause of the problem is known, all that is left is to find the solution.
School is mandatory for kids in order for them to learn and prepare them for the work place. Yet the main problem every school deals with is bullying. As a matter of+
fact it occurs even in the work place. A lot of students don’t feel safe going to school because of all the violence that occurs yet a lot of parents are unaware of the situation. In the US, 1 in 5 students have been bullied during a school year. Approximately 160,000 teens have skipped school because of bullying. When it comes to school violence it can be defined as bullying, cyber bullying, school shooting or even fist fights. Violence for boys is generally considered bullying and for girls it is sexual harassment.
Most male teenagers try to prove their masculinity by fighting. In order to prove themselves they put on act to intimidate others around them. Some do it because of jealousy and other do it because they are peer pressured into it. Jayden Trudell shared his story. He was rushed to hospital last September after he was attacked from behind. Because of the incident, Jayden took fighting lessons in order to protect himself because he is scared and uncomfortable at school. In my opinion this is something that should never happen to a 15 year old boy. What most people don’t realize is how that situation changed Jayden’s mindset and his character. In the text “Masculinity” by Kimmel he describes what a typical male american stereotype looks like. “A young, married, white, urban, heterosexual, protestant, father, of college education, fully employed, and a recent record in sports… Any male who fails to qualify in any one of these ways is likely to view himself unworthy.” (Kimmel, 2) Therefore most young teenagers have this image implanted in their head throughout their life causing them to try and act the way others act, “Peer Pressured”.
After watching the CBC documentary on violence in school I was surprised on how many parents were not aware of the situation in their kids schools when it comes to violence. In the documentary i noticed that the majority of parents that were interviewed were mothers. The fact that schools are keeping secrets when it comes to incidents in or on school property is where the problem starts. They don’t disclose information to the parents of the school because they care about reputation risks and they use privacy as a means to ignore certain problems that the school should deal with. Another reason parents aren’t informed is because the kids keep it to themselves. Some figure if the school won’t do anything about a situation why would they.
Another disturbing topic that occurs in schools is sexual harassment. More that 1 out of 7 girls is sexually abused. How come that isn’t brought up as violence in schools but boys fighting is mentioned more? Does the school take into account sexual harassment as violence or do they just cover it up?
School are not prepared to handle these types of incidents. Some schools don’t even acknowledge what occurs inside of school let alone on school property. One way schools should implement is more staff to better control the students and make sure things are handled before someone gets inured or even death. In the documentary the boy witnessed his cousin randomly get attacked by another student for no reason. The boy was punched in the back of his head and then was body slammed and left unconscious. Yet in the video all you can see is people recording the incident and no one intervening, there was not even a teacher in sight. Issues like bullying and school shootings start with what goes on at home. In the text “Fathers and Fathering” by Kimlmartin “Many males have complained about fathers who may although physically present, are psychologically absent because of their emotional unresponsiveness.” (Kilmartin,191). In recent school shooting the parents were not aware of the struggles their kids were going through. A lot of people blame the parents for not paying attention to their kids, the majority of shooting being males. The ethnography “From the Red Pill to White Genocide” by Jay Marquis-Manicom was presented on march 3, 2020. The study of these men is very dangerous as the only believe in fascist ideas, a hierarchy and male supremacy. After the presentation in the auditorium i got a better understanding on how these men think and most of them act this way because of a rejection from a female.
To conclude, schools should better handle situations. From my experience I have seen my fair share of fist fights between students and it something that should be dealt with. either within the school or within parents. Schools should not worry about their reputations instead they should worry about the safety of the students. A student should always feel safe in a learning environment. The fact is Sexual harassment and bullying need to be taken more seriously. Most schools and school boards do but not every school does.
The CBC team marketplace investigated schools on the issue of violence in schools between students.
“41 percent of boys say they were physically assaulted at high school: 26 percent of girls say they were experienced unwanted sexual contact at school. One in four students first experienced sexual harassment or assault before grade 7”
Students tend to pull out their phones and film a fight instead of trying to stop one. This is why students turn to violence immediately because they are being provoked when it comes to arguments in schools. “Nearly 50 per cent of high school kids don’t report violence they’ve experienced or witnessed.” They don’t call for help from a staff member, teacher or an adult and this is why violence continues to go on in schools . We have normalized it for “men” and “boys” to solve a problem by physically and verbally assaulting one another. There is no disciplinary measures being taught in schools for situations like these. Boys are still developing into men and they should be taught the right way . Males show their strength through violence. “Violence is often the single most evident marker of manhood.” (kimmel 148) By this kimmel means in order for a man to be seen as a “man” he has to be tough and aggressive.
After watching the CBC documentary on violence in schools , I was not surprised about mother’s not knowing on what goes on in their children’s schools and everyday lives because of personal experience. I’ve witnessed everyday fights and violence in my school and I was not proud of it. Innocent boys were shown a different side of them due to violence. “More than one-third of students between the ages of 14 and 21 say they were physically assaulted at least once before reaching high school.” The documentary isn’t the first time I heard about this topic. This topic is being ignored world wide. Not only is it violence among boys but girls are fighting among one another over a guy or a silly situation but we refer to this as “drama” why? Is it not considered violence? Shouldn’t girls be disciplined as much as boys?
Boys bully and are bullied on a day to day basis. “You play like a girl” is the number one saying when it comes to team sports in school. In kimmel’s “masculinity” what it means to be a man is to be unlike a woman.” (kimmel 2) By this he means boys aren’t supposed to show any actions that are meant for girls “only” like crying, wearing the color pink, gossiping, pampering themselves etc. Not only is this bashing women in general meaning women are seen as “weak” and “fragile” but its pretty ironic because women are the reason men exist. Giving birth takes a lot of power and strength not every women survives it ,so before a man calls a women weak and fragile they should ask themselves how they got onto this planet in the first place. Women can play sports just as well as men or video games but we never mention that.
In the Canadian broadcast corporation episode we can see the interviewer tries to question a staff member at a school, but she refuses to answer any of his questions and this says a lot about the school and how no adult is taking into consideration that students should be shown disciplinary actions and should be taught right from wrong. The staff member seemed embarrassed and guilty by not wanting to answer any of the reporter’s questions. This is clearly something that needs to be taken into consideration and dealt with immediately. Teachers aren’t offered a job to just teach their subjects (English, French or Math). They are supposed to make kids feel safe to come to school and to show them good from bad. The students should not be blamed at all in this situation but the teachers and parents should be in my opinion. How can a child know what to do and not do if they are not being shown right? It’s not as simple as learning to walk or riding a bike.
Men are taught to be superior and in power in society that when it comes to women a lot are mistreated, disrespected and raped! This is unfortunately a norm in the world but abusing and assaulting a women does not make you powerful! The way a boy is taught to treat his mother (the women who put him on this planet) is the same way a boy should be taught to treat any girl. In the text “Defining Men’s Studies” by Kilmartin, Christopher, the author says “A good ideal of behavior is learned through imitation, boys receive many of these messages through merely observing the behaviors of men in their families” (Kilmartin, 2) By this he means if a father mistreats his wife then the son will most likely mistreat his wife when he is older. A good father figure is definitely important in order for a boy to turn into a good man. In my opinion genetics does not play a huge roll in a way a boy turns out to be, but the way a boy is brought up does.
Works cited
Kilmartin, Christopher, and Andrew P. Smiler. “Defining men’s studies,” The Masculine
Self, Cornwall on Hudson, NY, Sloan Publishing, 2019, pp. 1-7.
Kimmel, Michael. “Masculinity”. International Encyclopedia of the social sciences. Ed.
William A. Darity, Jr. 2nd ed. Vol.5. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008.1-
5. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 9. June 201. 1-5. Print.
Lovers an Fighters | Section 21 