emmanuel reynaud holy virility the social construction of masculinity

The disappearing bοdy
Man reproduces the body/mind separation that he creates in
himself in his relationships with women. Just as he tends to
picture himself as pure mind, so he sees woman as
unrestrained flesh, a body over which the head has, no control.
He likes to consider himself a cultural being, almost completely
free of natural contingencies, while he represents woman as a
sort of natural being still subject to the obscure forces of
nature. On this basis he defines as 'masculine', not only the few
characteristics associated with the male sex, but all the human
traits in which he acknowledges an ability to combat natural
alienation. In the same way, he calls 'feminine' all those
characteristics which submit to that alienation. Thus he makes
woman into the symbol of his own dependence, and in addition,
the further he dissociates himself from her, the more he feels he
is his own master; he creates two definitions, femininity and
virility, which exacerbate the anatomical differences, increase
women's dependence and concentrate everything that seems to
represent human strength in himself.
Man seeks to rid himself of the 'rib' which he parts with
symbolically: while he cultivates all that he defines as 'virile', he
does his best to reject what he calls 'feminine'. He wants to be
strength, rationality and transcendence, whereas woman is
weakness, irrationality and immanence. At one fell swoop he
imposes 'femininity' on woman and is determined for his part, to
be virile, and to differentiate himself clearly from her. He
searches out and prizes the slightest details which distinguish
males from females; so, body-hair, beard and penis become
images of strength and symbols of power.
As for penis and testicles, they are the very criteria on which
belonging to the man class depends. They assume paramount
importance. Body-hair and beard denote virility and its first
appearance. In adolescence man rushes to buy a razor; until he
has ravaged his face with its blade, he is not really a man. As
soon as a light down appears he starts to shave, especially as it
is well known that the more hairs are cut, the faster and thicker
they grow. To be beardless is no trifle ―it evokes the innocence
of childhood, or even worse, femininity. Of uncertain virility, a
man without a beard is therefore not to be trusted. Furthermore,
it is an insult which always has its adherents; Juan Perοn, a
short time before his death, jeered: 'beardless, mercenary
idiots'.
[Man and his body /18]
But the beard is not sufficient; to be a man you must sport the
insignia of power on your arms, legs, armpits and pubis as early
as possible. Beach, swimming pool and shower can thus
become such a nightmare for the adolescent whose virginal