In fact, thanks in part to the stupid idea that lotion carries girl cooties, men are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed with skin cancer. http://crazyparts.nl/FQqHiX

Sorry, but from a sociological perspective I believe you've missed the boat on this one too.

I have applied lotion including sunscreen in front of both men and women throughout my life and have never been called a " gay, fag, bitch, pussy, douche, girl, or woman " by anyone for doing so. Furthermore, I have never called another man a " gay, fag, bitch, pussy, douche, girl, or woman " for applying lotion, not have I ever witnessed a man being called a " gay, fag, bitch, pussy, douche, girl, or woman " for doing so. This argument seems contrived to me, for what reason I cannot imagine.

I have no doubt that men suffer from skin cancer due to sunburn that could have been prevented by a more diligent application of sunscreen more frequently than women, but suggest it has more to do with a comparative lack of attention to hygiene.

(I use baby powder too, although that application usually requires some privacy...)

I have a tube of gender-neutral Banana Boat sunscreen in my house, and I'm having trouble believing that there are men so insecure they won't use it. The tube is black, with yellow and blue for the text and logos, so...pretty much like the new men's product, except it doesn't have the word "men" on it. I'm more inclined to believe this is a cash grab on the part of the company, rather than a genuine attempt to address a public health issue.

It's definitely a cash grab, but if the side effect is that more people take better care of their skin and avoid skin cancer, I'm all for it. Maybe if there were more sports-themed hospitals and doctors' offices, men would get more serious about other forms of preventative care. (Speaking as someone whose father died of a heart attack at age 58 - the man hadn't seen a doctor in 15+ years)

What era are you referring to? Men have evolved to a "I don't give a shit what you think, I want to look hot not wrinkled", level. If you want to sling blame, throw it at all our mothers, they taught us all the "manly" bullshit myths for "our own good and family reputation". I always use sun lotion and have never been called any of the "derogatory" crap you wrote. Skin cancer is not gender selective.

Not to take issue with the existence of hegemonic masculinity or anything, but there may be less sinister explanations for why guys don't/won't wear sunscreen. For example, if you're not used to applying lotions, creams, etc. to your skin, it's actually pretty gross. I'm quite conscious of the dangers of sun exposure, but will find any excuse not to put on sun screen. And it's not because it challenges my sense of masculinity. I just can't stand the feel of it. I suspect that females, who are strongly pressured into putting chemicals all over their skin from an early age, develop a physical comfort that most men never do. Let's call this the "habitus" hypothesis (as an alternative to the "hegemonic masculinity" hypothesis).

As a follow up note, I've spoken to people from cultures where underarm deodorant is not common, and they don't understand how North Americans can slather that crap on everyday - or why we make such a big deal over the slightest scent of body odor. Again, habitus.

So much to write (e.g. PPD vs. SPF, messages sent to men vs messages not sent to men, outdoor jobs and gender tendencies, sports vs non-sport activities) I'll just skip it all and state this:

I seriously doubt almost any man equates "feminine" "beauty" lotions with sunscreen.

The biggest problem with getting people to apply sunscreen is not that men are afraid using it will make them seem more masculine. Rather, it's that most people heavily associate it with leisure and recreation, and neglect to use it in more mundane scenarios. The overwhelming majority of laborers who work primarily outdoors are men. Long-distance drivers - who are at high risk for cancer on the left side of their face - are also mostly men. These people have exponentially more exposure to sun than people hanging out at the beach in summer, but sunscreen is not treated as routine safety equipment.

If I said, "Tools are socially constructed as masculine, and so some women, attempting to avoid the prevailing insults of our time – butch, manly – are disinclined to use them.

Eeeew, tools!

You know who you are, ladies."
Would that be OK?

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