Arnold as a Girly-Man: Core Post # 4

After reading Hard Bodies it seems like Arnold Schwarzenegger might just be a “girly-man,” and that is perfectly okay for the 1990’s Cinema masculinity. In the Susan Jeffords article, overt un-wavering masculinity is compared to the Reagan era, whereas the more evolved male that is concerned with family and protection is compared to the Bush era of the 90s. Seeing as how Arnold is California’s Republican governor and a long time Republican booster, it makes sense that his portrayal of masculinity in the two terminator films critique and praise the above mentioned political tickets.
In the first Terminator, the ideal of masculinity was to kill or be killed, but in order to survive Terminator 2; Arnold’s strong body must be used for protection, not murder. For example, Arnold uses his body to shield John and Sarah Conner from the T-1000s bullets – metaphorically taking care of the family (wife and child), unlike the previous Terminator where he was trying to destroy the family. Also, in Terminator 2, the audience is supposed to feel bad for Sarah Conner, but in the sequel, Sarah’s adaptation of masculine, Regan era qualities makes her unlikable especially in the scenes where she scolds John for saving her (rejecting John’s girly-masculinity) and when she attempts to kill Dyson (a loving husband and father). At the same time, the Terminator is praised for his adaptation of Sarah’s previous feminine qualities of showing time, attention, protection and love to John. Thus a “manly-girl” is not acceptable, whereas, the fate of human life depends upon a “girly-man.”
According to Dyer, masculinity isn’t seen as talent. So, for a man such as Arnold to show he is an actor and thus reach stardom in the 90’s, he must adapt femininity into his acting repertoire. Socially, audiences connect femininity with emotions, sacrifice, and tenderness. All of which Arnold exhibits in T2, especially in the scenes with Dyson and later with John before he commits suicide in the lava. Ideals Masculinity in star discourses is also reflected in politics. Bush era politics had to adapt more feminine ideals of “gentle, protecting, humorous, emotional, antinuclear human machine,” (Jeffords 39) just like Arnold.

1. Is Terminator 2 more of a leftist Hollywood film about the dangers of technology and nuclear war or a right-winged film about a less aggressive Republican party?
2. Why can Arnold be a girly-man in his films (Kindergarten Cop, T2) without being stigmatized or emasculated?
3. Why the shift in acceptable ideals of masculinity from the 80s to 90s in cinema?