What does it mean to be a “man”? What do men think about contemporary notions of gender and the social issues stemming from these ideas? Drawing from the responses of thousands of men, J. E. Sumerau and Giuseppina Valle Holway invite readers to see how men react to aspects of what it means to be a man today. They argue that an interest in men’s attitudes can provide revelations about broader relationships between gender and society. This book uncovers how men affirm or reject contemporary aspects of manhood, and the ways these attitudes influence important aspects of their lives including relationships, families, religion, health, and sexual behaviors. Bookended by a methodological appendix of the measures, approach, and limitations of the decade-spanning study examined, That’s What He Said is an important analytical introduction to manhood in contemporary society.
