Performing Masculinities: Male Beauty Advisors in Neoliberal Japan and US

Nagayama, Riho

This study examines how male beauty advisors navigate gender norms within the expanding beauty industry in Japan and the United States, contextualized within neoliberal economic transformations. As beauty services have proliferated under neoliberalism, men's entry into this traditionally female-dominated field challenges established gender roles and reconceptualizes masculinities.

Through in-depth interviews with 15 male beauty advisors in Japan and 10 in the US, I explore the performative nature of gender and the politics of masculinities in contexts where male advisors comprise vastly different proportions of the workforce (0.5% in Japan vs. 7.2% in the US).

The findings reveal three key differences in how male beauty advisors negotiate their roles:

Sexual identity performance: Japanese advisors, all identifying as straight, actively distance themselves from gay stereotypes. Contrastingly, American advisors strategically perform and utilize such perceptions for career advancement.
Breadwinner masculinity: Japanese advisors internalize traditional breadwinner roles, actively seeking career progression. American advisors, despite salary dissatisfaction, show less adherence to this aspect of hegemonic masculinity.
Age and masculinity: Japanese advisors cannot envision working in-store past their 40s, reflecting internalized ageism. American advisors, viewing their role as youth-oriented, express less age-related pressure.

These findings illuminate how male beauty advisors both challenge and reinforce existing gender norms, shaped by their cultural contexts and neoliberal labor markets. This research contributes to broader discussions on the politics of masculinities in contemporary society, offering insights into the complex interplay between gender performance, sexuality, and labor in the expanding beauty industry under neoliberalism.By highlighting the transnational dimensions of masculinity construction, this study provides a nuanced understanding of how global neoliberal forces interact with local gender dynamics. It also offers practical implications for promoting gender equality in the beauty industry and beyond.