A bromance or man-crush is a close but non-sexual relationship between two (or more) men, a form of homosocial intimacy.[1] Coined in the 1990s, the term has typically referred to a relationship between heterosexuals influenced by the effect of second wave feminism in the United States or related movements elsewhere in the world.[1]
Bromance" is a portmanteau, a combination of the words "bro" and "romance". Editor Dave Carnie coined the term in the skateboard magazine Big Brother in the 1990s to refer specifically to the sort of relationships that develop between skaters who spent a great deal of time together.[2]
[edit] Sociology
The modern nature and circumstances of bromance is what separates it from more general homosocial practices and historic romantic friendships.[3][4] Aristotle's classical description of friendship is often taken to be the prototype of the bromance. He wrote around 300 BCE, "It is those who desire the good of their friends for the friends' sake that are most truly friends, because each loves the other for what he is, and not for any incidental quality".[1] There are numerous examples of famous intense male friendships throughout most of Western history and such relationships were likewise common. It has been posited that in late 19th century, Freudianism and the emergence visible homosexuality directed heterosexual men to avoid expressions of intense affection.[3]
Research into friendship and masculinity has found that recent generations of men, raised by feminist mothers in the 1970s, are more emotionally open and more expressive.[1] There is also less concern among men at the notion of being identified as gay and so men are more comfortable exploring deeper friendships with other men.[5][6] Research done in the United States suggests that the trend of rejecting "traditional views of masculinity" is most prevalent amongst men of European descent and lowest in those of African descent, with those of Hispanic descent falling in between. Furthermore, it was found that men who strongly endorse "traditional views of masculinity" are more prone to alexithymia (a difficulty to understand or identify with emotions).[7]
Another factor believed to influence bromance is that men are marrying later. According to a 2007 study conducted by the Rutgers University National Marriage Project, the average age of a man's first marriage is 27, up from 23 in 1960. It was also found that men with more education are waiting until their 30s before getting married.[6] The financial pressure of staying single longer may lead to men becoming roommates for extended periods, promoting bromance.
It can also be noted that many cultures that have communitarian tendencies or communal social patterns do not exhibit strong signs of the bromance phenomena. Even with groups that may have traditional views of men or masculinity, also have outlets in fraternal relationships that express male to male bonding. Examples include Latino and African American concepts of brotherhood and non-kin being considered family or surrogates. Bromance can develop in cultures or settings that may not exhibit these traits. This could be a factor in those from European descent exhibiting the bromance relationships. Being brought up in households where ties can be more detatched can serve as a factor in the development of bromances. Where in some cultures men are open to kissing each other in non-sexual expression (despite having traditional male stigmas), cultures with high rates of bromance would be less tolerant of male to male kissing without the homosexual stigma.
[edit] Sociology
The modern nature and circumstances of bromance is what separates it from more general homosocial practices and historic romantic friendships.[3][4] Aristotle's classical description of friendship is often taken to be the prototype of the bromance. He wrote around 300 BCE, "It is those who desire the good of their friends for the friends' sake that are most truly friends, because each loves the other for what he is, and not for any incidental quality".[1] There are numerous examples of famous intense male friendships throughout most of Western history and such relationships were likewise common. It has been posited that in late 19th century, Freudianism and the emergence visible homosexuality directed heterosexual men to avoid expressions of intense affection.[3]
Research into friendship and masculinity has found that recent generations of men, raised by feminist mothers in the 1970s, are more emotionally open and more expressive.[1] There is also less concern among men at the notion of being identified as gay and so men are more comfortable exploring deeper friendships with other men.[5][6] Research done in the United States suggests that the trend of rejecting "traditional views of masculinity" is most prevalent amongst men of European descent and lowest in those of African descent, with those of Hispanic descent falling in between. Furthermore, it was found that men who strongly endorse "traditional views of masculinity" are more prone to alexithymia (a difficulty to understand or identify with emotions).[7]
Another factor believed to influence bromance is that men are marrying later. According to a 2007 study conducted by the Rutgers University National Marriage Project, the average age of a man's first marriage is 27, up from 23 in 1960. It was also found that men with more education are waiting until their 30s before getting married.[6] The financial pressure of staying single longer may lead to men becoming roommates for extended periods, promoting bromance.
It can also be noted that many cultures that have communitarian tendencies or communal social patterns do not exhibit strong signs of the bromance phenomena. Even with groups that may have traditional views of men or masculinity, also have outlets in fraternal relationships that express male to male bonding. Examples include Latino and African American concepts of brotherhood and non-kin being considered family or surrogates. Bromance can develop in cultures or settings that may not exhibit these traits. This could be a factor in those from European descent exhibiting the bromance relationships. Being brought up in households where ties can be more detatched can serve as a factor in the development of bromances. Where in some cultures men are open to kissing each other in non-sexual expression (despite having traditional male stigmas), cultures with high rates of bromance would be less tolerant of male to male kissing without the homosexual stigma.
