What is masculinity? Drawing on psychoanalysis and an understanding of ideology, Easthope shows how the masculine myth forces men to try to be masculine and only masculine, denying their feminine side. In an original contribution to the understanding of gender, he analyzes masculinity as it is represented in a wide range of mass media --films, television, newspapers, pop music, and pop novels. Why are two men in a John Wayne western more concerned with each other than with the women in their lives? Is aggressive male banter a sign that men hate or love each other? Why does a jealous man always have to see his rival? Written in lively, witty, and accessible style, What a Man's Gotta Do is certain to become controversial but essential reading.