(Satellite Location: East Erie) The Slap Heard 'round the World: Why Toxic Masculinity Just Will Not Die
The Slap Heard 'round the World: Why Toxic Masculinity Just Will Not Die
On March 28, 2022, actor Will Smith, walked on stage at the Oscars ceremony and slapped presenter Chris Rock after Rock made a joke, at the expense of Smith's spouse, actor Jada Pinkett-Smith. The ensuing reporting, formal and informal discussions, writing (both formal and informal), and instant "meme-ification" of the incident, ran the gamut of themes. They ranged from some very serious academic think pieces about the state of gender expectations in our culture to the immediate, comic irreverence of internet memes. Months later, what society is left with is the stubborn persistence and ongoing presence of toxic masculinity as a feature of United States cultural life.
In this intersectional talk, Dr. Matthews will discuss the roles of toxic masculinity, as a foundational feature of U.S. culture, and how social factors such as socio-economic class, racialization, identity, policy, law, and social expectations impact how we discuss and address the social problems that are an inherent part of the ways that we expect men to act.
Disclaimer: This talk will directly address social issues connected to issues of gender, race, socio-economics, policy, and law. The language will be frank. The presentation and the discussion are designed for mature audiences. Attendance is not recommended for people under the age of 18.
Location: Erie Center for Arts & Technology (ECAT)—650 East Ave. Suite 120, Erie, PA 16503.
Date/Time: Thursday, August 4 @ 7 p.m.
Admission: FREE
Parking: lot at 7th street entrance, 7th street parking.
Please read our full Covid-19 policy here (updated July 21, 2022).
Rhonda Matthews, Ph.D., is an associate professor of political science and women’s studies in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice at Edinboro University. Rhonda has been with the university since 2002 and served as the director of the Dr. Robert C. Weber Honors Program for three years. Prior to her work at Edinboro, she taught at several other institutions and worked in the fields of diversity affairs and residence life. Rhonda is dedicated to the advocacy and empowerment of women and children as a result of her previous work as a sexual assault survivor counselor. Using tenets of intersectional analysis, her primary areas of academic interest include gender & women’s studies, sociological theory, popular culture and stratification. She is a long-time fan of science fiction, superheroes and comic books, is married and has one daughter.
