sam cait eddie

“Toxic masculinity is the constellation of socially regressive male traits that serve to foster domination, the devaluation of women, homophobia, and wanton violence.“  ~ Terry Kupers ~

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While JAMMF performs patriarchy and historically situated toxic masculinity from time to time, he also subverts such performative expectations through vulnerable masculinity. He does the necessary emotional and intellectual work. He is in tune with his feelings (and Claire’s); he dwells in fear, weakness, and sadness but none of these traits reduces the warrior spirit in him. Above all, he exhibits the sensitivity chip that seems to be missing in normative portrayals of men on television. 

Yet, the marketing of JAMMF is reduced to a simplistic conception of masculinity - “King of Men” - and the marketing of Outlander in general is restricted to predetermined gender ideals (occasionally, we’ll see praises for Claire’s standing as a healer and doctor but in general it is the actress herself who has to promote Claire as owning her positionality and power).

He is also an honorable man and one who is deeply committed to his faith. We don’t see much of the honorable side of him in S3 or his faith. 

JAMMF’s care, compassion, and tenderness for Claire, as well as those around him and under his protection makes him such a compelling character. Reducing him to a one dimensional (masculine) figure is giving into ideas of masculinity staunchly engraved in our society and doing disservice to need to cultivate non-gender binary ideals, particularly considering the role and influence of mass media in our society. 

The Journey of Claire || Ep. 1x01, Part 5

This is my favorite scene in episode 1x01. There are so many emotions flowing between them. Claire was in Jamie’s custody, but she also became his healer and his caretaker in the process. She truly cared for him and did all she could to attend his wound, not because she’s afraid of him, but is to serve the call of being a healer. In this scene, the power in their relationship shifted a bit. She’s the one to give him a hand, to care and to support him, and he just followed her lead and enjoyed her attending without any questions.

Claire enjoyed this dynamic too. She still wanted to escape from all of them very much, but Jamie’s sincere appreciation and respect might just won a tiny part of her heart. She’s a bit taken aback when he’s thanking her and got flustered.

claire + “jesus h. roosevelt christ!”