Late last year, entertainment industry tracker NRG (National Research Group) released a study concluding that 43% of young men aged 13-30 don’t know what it means to be a man in today’s society. “Like Ken in the ‘Barbie’ movie, men are struggling to figure out their own place,” the study says, referring to the hit movie’s multicultural troupe of “just Kens” who are baffled by the increasing power of women.
The report also suggests Hollywood may be remiss in not filling the void. “A sizable number (47%) of those surveyed are looking to fictional characters, public figures, and celebrities for masculine role models over real people in their lives — signaling how important it is that Hollywood and celebrities present a multi-faceted view of what it means to be a man,” the authors state.