While the social construction of femininity has been widely examined, the dominant role of masculinity has until recently remained largely invisible. Tough Guise examines the relationship between pop-cultural imagery and the social construction of masculine identities in the U.S. at the dawn of the 21st century.

Reflections on male identity.

This is a riveting documentary that examines representations of gender roles in hip-hop and rap music through the lens of filmmaker Byron Hurt, a former college quarterback turned activist. Conceived as a “loving critique” from a self-proclaimed “hip-hop head”, Hurt examines issues of masculinity, sexism, violence and homophobia in today's hip-hop culture.