Ali's Masculinity

As Americans we have a certain sense of masculinity. Masculinity is being macho, being tough, being brave. Masculinity is not caring about grammar. Masculinity is fearlessly leading your troops in battle. Masculinity is Steve McQueen jumping over a barbed wire fence on his motorcycle in order to escape the Nazis. Masculinity is Joe Namath guaranteeing a Super Bowl victory for the Jets and coming through. It is about not sweating the small stuff. It is eating red meat, drinking beer (not light), and watching a game. It is about not caring about your appearance. If it is about becoming muscular, it is not for aesthetics but for function. Masculinity is about short sentences. It is about talking only when you need to. It is about expressing no emotion. It is not about beauty. We as Americans all know what it is to be masculine, and so do Norman Mailer, Alex Haley, Lawrence Linderman, and Muhammad Ali. We all know what the clichéd man is supposed to be like, we all know what is ...