Gay Filmmaker Explores Privilege, The Closet And Toxic Masculinity In “American Male”

"I learned to keep my hands in my pockets."

From: NewNowNext

 “American Male,” a new short from filmmaker Michael Rohrbaugh, is challenging young American men to examine their privilege and the way they breed a toxic form of masculinity.

The film, which won MTV’s Look Different Creator Competition, was born from Rohrbaugh’s own struggle with his sexuality and his past efforts to police his behavior.

 In it, a narrator recounts all the things that men do to set themselves apart from women—and to protect themselves from being seen as different, as weak, as gay.

“Order beer. Not wine. And beef, not chicken. Never light beer, though. And tofu. Can’t get more gay than tofu.”

 The camera follows a ripped, blond jock as he works out, shoots steroids, binge drinks with his bros and generally mimes the tropes of stereotypical masculinity.

 “Women gesture with their hands,” he explains in voice-over. “When I was younger I used my hands a lot. I learned to keep my hands in my pockets.”

As he sums up the million different ways he monitors himself, always sure to be right in line with what’s expected, the narrator realizes he’s lost himself along the way.

“Now, I am no longer a person but a set of social cues. Not a person, but a path of least resistance.”

Rohrbaugh recently wrapped American Grunt, a military drama set during Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and is getting ready to work on a documentary about LGBT issues in sports.