Masculinity only exists within a system of gender relations. Gender as a Structure of Social Practice Gender is a way of ordering social practice. It is a social practice that constantly refers to bodies and what they do, but does not reduce social practice to the body. This link need have nothing to do with biological reproduction. Gender exists because biology does not determine the social.
Gender relations is one of the major structures of all societies.
When we refer to masculinity and femininity, we are talking about configurations of gender practice, or rather processes of configuring practice. It persists despite resistance. For ex., the relationship between heterosexuality and men's position of dominance. Connell notes that gender, as a way of structuring social practice, is unavoidably connected to other social structures, race and class for ex. Gender interacts or intersects with race and class.