Performing Hegemonic Masculinity: Negotiating Race, Class, and Gender in Junot Díaz’s Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie (1996)

Abstract

Masculinity in literary works is now recognized to be more socially constructed than biologically determined. Yet, most studies in the masculinity field have concentrated on gender hierarchy while largely ignoring the roles played by race and class in shaping marginalized men's struggle for masculine legitimacy. This study addresses this limitation by exploring the intersection of race, class, and gender to examine the negotiation of hegemonic masculinity in Junot Díaz's "How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie" (1996).  Through the use of a qualitative literary research design, this study uses close textual analysis of narrative descriptions, dialogues, and symbols using the theoretical lenses of hegemonic masculinity by Raewyn Connell, gender performativity by Judith Butler, and manhood acts by Douglas Schrock and Michael Schwalbe. The results indicate that while Yunior, who is the main character in Junot Díaz's story, does not automatically embody hegemonic masculinity, he works hard to perform it in three interrelated ways: by masking signs of poverty to appear respectable and middle-class, by changing his racial appearance and behavior to mimic the white masculine ideal, and by wielding power over women. This study makes contributions to masculinity studies through an interdisciplinary approach where hegemonic masculinity theory is used in literary analysis to examine how masculinity can be viewed as a hierarchical social system and performative culture.