The phrase “Bro’s before Hoes” has been around in society for many years now, but what does it really mean to be a bro? How does one get to call themselves a bro? Michael Kimmel, an expert in gender studies, writes an essay defining and outlining what it is really like to be a “bro”. In the essay Bro's before Hos": The Guy Code the author relies heavily on pathos, but also effectively uses ethos and pathos, in order to prove the author's argument that there are rigid social expectations when it comes to being a man.

The author opens the essay with a statement that most readers can agree with, which first establishes a connection between the reader and the author. The author first makes claims based on research he has conducted and then he goes on to prove his claims with more research. The author’s argument relies on the reader’s ability to sympathize for the male population and how they have been forced to conform to these social norms that society has place on them. For this argument to be effective the author first uses pathos. Kimmel provides evidence of interviews conducted with men who were affected by these social restrictions and felt that if they were to step outside these boundaries they would be a social outcast and called names like “pussy” and “sissy” (Kimmel 230 and 231). The use of strong words in the essay toys with the reader’s emotions and causes the reader to be convinced of the clear issue facing society. The author is able to pull in a large audience range with both the diction choices and the topic. The topic is appealing to a big audience because each person is effected by this issue at some point in their lifetime being a: parent, coach, mentor, or teacher.

Kimmel presents the thesis in the beginning of the essay by defining the “Guy Code” as “the collection of attitudes, values, and traits that together composes what it means to be a man” (Kimmel 230). He then provides details on what specifically is entailed in the guy code. Kimmel then discusses that these basic guy codes that were developed by a social psychologist in 1976 have not “changed” since their creation (Kimmel 230). In the essay, Kimmel first presents the reader with the thesis and then establishes intrinsic ethos by supporting all of his claims in the thesis with evidence from a wide range of sources. The sources to back the author’s claims are both professionals in the field and also everyday citizens across the world. Kimmel also establishes extrinsic ethos by providing the reader with knowledge that he is a professor himself. Using examples from his own class, Kimmel is able to show the reader his personal experience of teaching and make his claims more credible to the reader. On the other hand, the author does not explicitly state his personal opinion on the matter, nor does that author use a personal anecdote to try to sway the reader’s opinion. By not stating his personal opinion, the author is able to establish ethos with the reader and at the same time the author is able to draw in more readers without causing offense to the readers. 

The main writing strategy the author uses in the essay is pathos. Kimmel uses quotes from people he had interviewed and the words that the people used were hurtful and offensive, some were called ‘fagots’ and ‘wimps’ (Kimmel 233 and 237). The stories and quotes Kimmel used were upsetting and causes the reader to rethink the way society treats boys. Kimmel first discusses the rules of being a guy and then shows the reader the consequences that guys face if they do not stick to the rules. In most cases the man is supposed to “toughen up” or they are “admitting to weakness” and this goes against the societal expectation of a man (Kimmel 229 and 236). Using examples where the tone is strict and the expectations are high the author is able to use the examples to his advantage to force the reader to sympathize with his argument. The use of pathos is especially noticeable in the final paragraph of the essay. 

In the final paragraph the author uses statistics about the impacts that the “Guy Code” on the male population (Kimmel 230). The connection from the “Guy Code” to the statistics in the final paragraph appear to be a stretch (Kimmel 230). The authors suggest that because of all the rules and social pressures guys are placed under, “boys are more prone to depression, suicidal behavior, and various other forms of out-of-control or out-of-touch behaviors” (Kimmel 237). The author makes specific diction choice when beginning the paragraph with “no wonder” (Kimmel 237). This diction choice sets the tone for the paragraph when the author discusses the impacts he believes that the social mold boys are forced into has on the entire male population mentality. The diction choice is a perfect example of the author’s use of pathos. Making these word choices along with the heaviness of the content the author is effective in using pathos to cause the reader to sympathize with guys. 

Being a professor in the field gives Kimmel more access to many students who come from a large range of backgrounds. The author is able to shape and inform the student’s way of thinking into a way that will create a better future, and at the same time the author is able to collect data on the opinions of his students. Kimmel is able to adjust the way the students are thinking before they go off in the world and become parents, coaches, aunts, uncles, teachers, etc. The ethos that Kimmel has amongst his students allows him to provide his students with the reality that boys of this generation will continue to face unless society tries to change it. 

While the author does provide many different examples in support of his thesis of this “Guy Code” and the negative connotations that surround it, the author does have a few areas that weaken the overall message (Kimmel 230). The author tends to use extreme cases and in some parts of the essay the conclusions reached are a stretch from the evidence. An example of this is the final paragraph where the author lists the affects that the “Guy Code” has on the entire male population: “boys drop out of school and are diagnosed as emotionally disturbed four times more often than girls, get into fights twice as often, and are six times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity disorder” (Kimmel 230 and 237).  These conclusions are not necessarily in direct correlation with the evidence the author has provided and ultimately reduce the quality of the overall argument. 

Kimmel effectively uses a blend of logos, ethos, and pathos to develop his argument and persuade the readers to the effects of the social pressures society places on guys. The author’s use of strategic diction choices furthers his argument and enhances his use of pathos to persuade the writer. The writing strategies used in the essay are effective and help the author further develop his argument. The argument the author makes is strong until the final paragraph, where he makes extreme conclusions and does not offer a solution for the reader to put into use after reading the essay. 
