Hegemonic masculinity in beach related media artifacts By Jeff Luebbe and Cameron Parker Beach is a lifestyle not a destination. Beach culture reflects vintage heritages while communicating classic connotations. Beach related media artifacts depict beach culture while promoting ideological and stereotypical beliefs. One ideological belief portrayed in beach related media artifacts is hegemonic masculinity...

This underwear ad uses pro surfer Kolohe Andino, and a barely dressed girl to advertise toward heterosexual men in a surf magazine. What is shown of the girl are her breasts, midriff, and her buttox being fondled by Kolohe. By showing these aspects of her, and keeping her face covered, it advocates the objectification of womens bodies, turning her into an object for men, rather than a person.

The Beach Boys projects beach culture and values to mass audiences The Beach Boys projects beach culture and values to mass audiences. This particular poster portrays ideologies of hegemonic masculinity by picturing women as hypersexual beings. These women are displayed in sexually erotic manners. These women are presented in compromised positions while under the control of seemingly power men. Multiple women are clearly naked or striping away their clothing in sexual manners. These women are present for the pleasure of the men. This poster presents men in positions of authority and power depicted with significant esteem and respect. This poster presents women as marginalized and sexual beings. Women are hypersexualixed and help portray themes of hegemonic masculinaty.

Media artifacts portray hegemonic masculinity through the portrayal of men in a position of power and dominance. This Skyy Vodka ad shows a woman lounging at the beach underneath, and between the legs of a corporate dressed man. The man towering over her with two closed fists exhibit him as a more powerful and dominant. The woman seems at ease with this display of male dominance, furthering the aspect of hegemonic masculinity.

At the zenith of their careers the Beach Boys were massive movers in popularizing beach culture. Here is an album cover of The Beach Boys that projects hegemonic masculinity. In terms of sheer numbers, men outnumber women 5:1 in this album cover. These five men are clearly identified, clearly in approval and clearly authoritative. The woman, in steep contrast, is not in power. The woman is surrounded by men. The woman is unidentified, an unknown stranger to the viewer. The woman is compromised and dress scantily to draw sexual attention to herself. However incidental this may seem, this album projects male dominance and female submission, thus projecting themes of hegemonic masculinity.

Reef sandals company consistently put on bikini contests for the entertainment of men, while being judged by men. The women in the contest are only there for one purpose; men's viewing pleasure. This photo shows several contestants up on a rock, paralleling them to being on display. A majority of the girls are not even facing the camera, only being validated by the exposure of their butts. This promotes female subordination and objectification for men’s viewing pleasure. This promotes hegemonic masculinity.

The Beach Boys constructed an impressive catalog of songs about boys, beaches and babes. Here is one more artifact containing symbols of hegemonic masculinity. Perceptions of hegemonic masculinity in this particular artifact, another album cover, are noticeably present. At first glance of the shot the viewer can definitely perceive an inadequately dressed woman exposing sexual body parts. This is to appeal to a young male demographic; the kind of demographic that goes to concerts, purchases merchandise, surfs, and lives beach culture. This is undeienable objectifaction and hysexualization of women in efforts to appeal to a young male demographic. This illustrate hegemonic masculinity by blatantly exposing and marginalizing women as sexual beings and frisky objects.

As this couple walks in the water, notice how the man is slightly in front, leading the woman. The man's posture is broad while the woman’s posture is slumped and reserved. His physique is bulky whereas the woman looks quite frail. These physical traits portrayed here uphold ideologies that men are stronger and in command, whereas women are weak and dainty in a male-female relationship.

The Beach Boys are an institution in surf rock, projecting beach culture to mainstream audiences Here is one more artifact of The Beach Boys that depicts hegemonic masculinity in subtle and unconscious manners. The back side of a woman in a bikini is unconsciously marketed at cisgender heterosexual males. This subliminal assumption of men being attracted to women has become normalized and standardized in mainstream American culture and subculture including beach culture. In addition American stereotypical connotations and gender roles are present. This is marketed toward heterosexual young men, limiting possible audiences, interpretations and perceptions of the message. Limiting possible meanings and interpretations promotes ideologies beliefs and values such as hegemonic masculinity.