linking masculinity with materialism ( Cooper 101 ). Bunk , who maintains a begrudging respect towards Omar , nevertheless mocks Omar ’ s aspirations of morality despite his criminal lifestyle , wryly commenting in the first season episode “ One Arrest ” ( 7 / 14 / 02 ) that “ a man must have a code .” Ultimately , Omar ’ s homosexuality and monogamous behavior subverts not only traditional notions of masculinity , but also more specifically those of black masculinity , as “ considerations of hegemony and sexual identities in queer media studies cannot be divorced from issues of class and race ” ( Avila-Saavedra 7 ). Omar ’ s entire character serves as a critique of American objectification of the black male body , which has historically been characterized as either unrelentingly violent and / or sexually desirable ( Jackson 79 ). Omar is especially attractive to masculinities theorists for how his very existence challenges traditional black gender expectations and instead advocates for a more progressive , nuanced model of masculinity .
Conclusion
The high level of critical and popular success that The Wire has accumulated both during and following its initial run on HBO provides the series with a highly visible profile to promote research regarding the representation of race and masculinity in American television . In The Wire , McNulty and Omar represent two culturally enduring archetypes of societally constructed masculinity , i . e . the cop and the gangsta . Throughout their portrayals in police dramas , both archetypes have commonly demonstrated macho traits . In “ social science research in the U . S ., [ machismo ] refers to a socially constructed ‘ gender ideological ’ notion of what it means to be ‘ manly ’ that is carried out to the point of exaggeration ” ( Scharrer 616 ). However , while McNulty adheres to white stereotypes of macho masculinity , Omar challenges black stereotypes of macho masculinity . Therefore , the characters are interesting to contrast against each other for research purposes .
Although other eminent series of the current Golden Age , such as Mad Men and The Sopranos , have attempted to deconstruct hegemonic masculinity , the greater diversity present in The Wire provides a unique research opportunity into how the presentation of masculinity differs across racial representations , and to promote alternative masculine norms in popular media . The Wire deconstructs the various tenets of McNulty ’ s white macho masculinity , including his hypersexuality , alcohol abuse , and anti-authority tendencies . Such norms do not deviate from typical portrayals of masculinity in popular fiction , which can influence and encourage audience adoption of these characteristics by glorifying them , thus resulting in “ potentially harmful social consequences ” ( Scharrer 633 ). However , The Wire
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