Gender, Masculinities and Consumption

Following the rise of feminism and gay movements, an increasing interest in men and masculinities has been observed across fields of inquiry. While sociology and (social) psychology amongst other were quick to adapt and build on emerging insights in this area, consumer research has only relatively recently discussed men and masculinities as a central aspect of consumption. This research therefore aims to contribute to an understanding of what it ‘means to be a man’ through exploring the gendered dimension of men’s consumption practices. The findings highlight the intertwined layers of masculine identities, discourses and the negotiations involved as young men ‘consume’ masculinities within a Scottish context. Parallel to contributions to consumer research, this work presents implications for marketing in allowing men to 'be' and 'do' masculinities across varying practices and settings.