Photo Essays II: Gender Matters in World Politics

A Clash of Masculinities – Anti-maskers and the American State

This essay looks at the anti-masker protests in the United States in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, and the state’s response to the protests. It argues that the protests stemmed from a toxic masculine understanding of personal freedom, and the response of the state was also rooted in its protectionist masculinity towards its citizens. The essay also explores the underlying white supremacy in the interaction of both the masculinities.