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{{Short description|Male sanctuary in a home}}
{{For|the American renovation television series|Man Caves}}
{{For|the American renovation television series|Man Caves}}
[[File:Man cave motorcycles.jpg|thumb|A motorcycle enthusiast's man cave]]
[[File:Man cave motorcycles.jpg|thumb|A motorcycle enthusiast's man cave]]
[[File:Refined Mancave.jpg|thumb|A man cave serving as a home office (5m x 5m size)]]
[[File:Refined Mancave.jpg|thumb|A man cave serving as a home office (5m x 5m size)]]


A '''man cave'''<ref name="Goodman">{{cite news
A '''man cave''',<ref name="Goodman">{{cite news
| last = Goodman
| last = Goodman
| first = Michelle
| first = Michelle
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| date = May 2, 2008
| date = May 2, 2008
| url = http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/05/02/mantuary.marriage/index.html
| url = http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/05/02/mantuary.marriage/index.html
| access-date = 2009-02-09}}</ref> '''mancave''', or '''manspace''',<ref name="twsFebB12">{{cite news |author=Marco R. della Cava |date=2007-01-04 |title=Manspace: The final frontier of guydom |newspaper=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2007-01-03-manspace_x.htm |access-date=2011-02-02}}</ref> and less commonly a '''manland''' or '''mantuary''' is a male retreat<ref>{{cite news |title= Father's Day: treat your Dad to a man cave |first= Max |last= Davidson |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/interiors/10091017/Every-gent-needs-a-man-cave.html |newspaper= The Telegraph |date= 11 June 2013 |access-date= 17 October 2015}}</ref> or [[sanctuary]]<ref name="usatoday2">{{cite news
| accessdate = 2009-02-09}}</ref>
or '''manspace,'''<ref name=twsFebB12/>
and less commonly a '''manland''' or '''mantuary''' is a male retreat<ref>{{cite news |title= Father's Day: treat your Dad to a man cave |first= Max |last= Davidson |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/interiors/10091017/Every-gent-needs-a-man-cave.html |newspaper= The Telegraph |date= 11 June 2013 |accessdate= 17 October 2015}}</ref>
or [[sanctuary]]<ref name="usatoday2">{{cite news
| last = Howard
| last = Howard
| first = Theresa
| first = Theresa
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| date = 2007-08-16
| date = 2007-08-16
| url = https://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2007-08-16-alltel_N.htm
| url = https://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2007-08-16-alltel_N.htm
| access-date = 2008-12-27}}</ref> in a home, such as a specially equipped [[Garage (residential)|garage]],<ref name="businessweek">{{cite magazine
| accessdate = 2008-12-27}}</ref>
in a home, such as a specially equipped [[Garage (residential)|garage]],<ref name="businessweek">{{cite magazine
| last = Palmeri
| last = Palmeri
| first = Chris
| first = Chris
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| date = 2006-12-06
| date = 2006-12-06
| url = http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/hotproperty/archives/2006/12/wheres_your_man.html
| url = http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/hotproperty/archives/2006/12/wheres_your_man.html
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061215114645/http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/hotproperty/archives/2006/12/wheres_your_man.html
| accessdate = 2008-12-27}}</ref>
| url-status = dead
spare bedroom,<ref name="usatoday2" />
| archive-date = December 15, 2006
[[Home cinema|media room]],<ref name="washingtonpost">{{cite news
| access-date = 2008-12-27}}</ref> spare [[bedroom]],<ref name="usatoday2" /> [[Home cinema|media room]],<ref name="washingtonpost">{{cite news
| last = Hales
| last = Hales
| first = Linda
| first = Linda
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| date = 2006-01-07
| date = 2006-01-07
| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/06/AR2006010601877.html
| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/06/AR2006010601877.html
| accessdate = 2008-12-27}}</ref>
| access-date = 2008-12-27}}</ref> [[Den (room)|den]],<ref name="hartfordcourant">{{cite news
[[Den (room)|den]],<ref name="hartfordcourant">{{cite news
|last = Jones
|last = Jones
|first = Scott
|first = Scott
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|date = 2008-12-09
|date = 2008-12-09
|url = http://www.courant.com/entertainment/hc-playholiday.artdec09,0,2973678.story
|url = http://www.courant.com/entertainment/hc-playholiday.artdec09,0,2973678.story
|accessdate = 2008-12-27
|access-date = 2008-12-27
|url-status = dead
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081224024142/http://www.courant.com/entertainment/hc-playholiday.artdec09,0,2973678.story
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081224024142/http://www.courant.com/entertainment/hc-playholiday.artdec09,0,2973678.story
|archive-date = 2008-12-24
|archive-date = 2008-12-24
}}</ref> [[basement]],<ref name="hartfordcourant" /><ref name="startribune">{{cite news
}}</ref>
[[basement]],<ref name="hartfordcourant" /><ref name="startribune">{{cite news
| title = Divine Design redesigns a basement
| title = Divine Design redesigns a basement
| newspaper = Star Tribune
| newspaper = Star Tribune
| date = 2008-12-16
| date = 2008-12-16
| url = http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/36233144.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUF
| url = http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/36233144.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUF
| access-date = 2008-12-27}}</ref> or [[tree house]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/other-spaces/96260407/an-auckland-man-cavemeetstree-house-with-all-the-trimmings|website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]]|author=Anabela Rea|date=2017-08-29|access-date=2020-07-26|title=An Auckland man cave-meets-tree house with all the trimmings}}</ref> The term "man cave" describes an area in the home where a man can do as he pleases in a masculine space.<ref name="twsFebB11">{{cite news |author=Leigh Belanger |date=February 3, 2005 |title=Man land: More homes have a room just for him, and you'll know it when you see it |newspaper=The Boston Globe |url=http://www.boston.com/yourlife/home/articles/2005/02/03/man_land/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110416091707/http://www.boston.com/yourlife/home/articles/2005/02/03/man_land/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-04-16 |access-date=2011-02-02}}</ref>
| accessdate = 2008-12-27}}</ref>

or [[tree house]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/other-spaces/96260407/an-auckland-man-cavemeetstree-house-with-all-the-trimmings|website=[[Stuff (website)]]|author=Anabela Rea|date=2017-08-29|accessdate=2020-07-26|title=An Auckland man cave-meets-tree house with all the trimmings}}</ref>
== Etymology ==
The term "man cave" is a metaphor describing a room where one or more male family members and optionally their friends are supposed to be able to do as they please, without fear of upsetting any [[female]] household members with their [[interior design]] choices.<ref name=twsFebB11/> Paula Aymer of [[Tufts University]] calls it the "last bastion of [[masculinity]]".<ref name=twsFebB11/> The first known use of the phrase is from March 21, 1992, in the ''[[Toronto Star]]'' by Joanne Lovering: "With his cave of solitude secured against wife intrusion by cold floors, musty smells and a few strategic cobwebs, he will stay down there for hours nestled in very manly magazines and open boxes of tools. Let's call the basement, man cave."<ref>{{Cite book|url= https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ZHpODAAAQBAJ&pg=PP351&lpg=PP351&dq=Joanne+Lovering+toronto+star+man+cave&source=bl&ots=MvAnUlAg6D&sig=ACfU3U1PmweYD7raJmECVJ1S_9VXp3Kq6Q&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Joanne%20Lovering%20toronto%20star%20man%20cave&f=false |title= The Naughty Nineties: The Triumph of the American Libido|last= Friend|first= David|year= 2017|publisher= Twelve Books|isbn= 9780446556293|page= 407}}</ref> The phrase gained traction with the 1993 publication of ''[[Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus]]'' by [[John Gray (American author)|John Gray]].<ref>
The first known published use of the phrase is from March 21, 1992, in the ''[[Toronto Star]]'' by Joanne Lovering: "With his cave of solitude secured against wife intrusion by cold floors, musty smells and a few strategic cobwebs, he will stay down there for hours nestled in very manly magazines and open boxes of tools. Let's call the basement, man cave."<ref>{{Cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZHpODAAAQBAJ&q=Joanne+Lovering+toronto+star+man+cave&pg=PP351 |title= The Naughty Nineties: The Triumph of the American Libido|last= Friend|first= David|year= 2017|publisher= Twelve Books|isbn= 9780446556293|page= 407}}</ref> The phrase gained traction with the 1993 publication of ''[[Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus]]'' by [[John Gray (American author)|John Gray]].<ref>{{cite news
{{cite news
|title= The history of the man cave
|title= The history of the man cave
|first= Jon |last= Wilks
|first= Jon
|last= Wilks
|author-link=Jon Wilks
| url= http://boxman.co.uk/blog/2015/10/the-history-of-the-man-cave/
|url= http://boxman.co.uk/blog/2015/10/the-history-of-the-man-cave/
|newspaper= The Box Room |date= 28 October 2015
|newspaper= The Box Room
|accessdate= 28 October 2015
|date= 28 October 2015
}}
|access-date= 28 October 2015
</ref>
|archive-date= 4 March 2016

|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083044/http://boxman.co.uk/blog/2015/10/the-history-of-the-man-cave/
While a man’s wife may have substantial authority over the rest of the house in terms of design and decoration, she often has no say in the look of a man's personal space.<ref name=twsFebB11/> Because, stereotypically, the wife decides the decor of the home due to the role of caring for the family and managing household affairs. A man cave is a space where a man can express his creativity and sense of design.<ref name=twsFebB11/>
|url-status= dead
{{Wiktionary|man cave}}
}}</ref>


==Purpose==
==Purpose==
Man caves have multiple purposes: they are a place to be alone, to indulge in [[hobbies]], and to hang out with male friends. It is, loosely, a male-only space to retreat to watch sports matches,<ref name="Mancave">{{cite news
Man caves have multiple purposes: they are a place to be alone, to indulge in [[hobbies]] such as watching sports<ref name="Make Mancave">{{cite news|author=Infographics Academy|date=2020-11-04|title=How to Build an Ultimate Man Cave|url=https://www.infographics-academy.com/2020/10/how-to-build-ultimate-man-cave.html}}</ref> or playing video games,<ref name="seattletimes">{{cite web
| last = Collier
| first = Joe Guy
| title = Man Cave: A place to call his own
| newspaper = Seattle Times
| date = 2005-10-08
| url = http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20051008&slug=designmancave08
| accessdate = 2008-12-27}}</ref><ref name="Make Mancave">{{cite news
| author= Infographics Academy
| title = How to Build an Ultimate Man Cave
| date = 2020-11-04
| url = http://www.infographics-academy.com/how-to-build-the-ultimate-man-cave}}</ref> play video games,<ref name="seattletimes">{{cite web
| last = Breckenridge
| last = Breckenridge
| first = Mary Beth
| first = Mary Beth
Line 89: Line 76:
| date = 2007-12-15
| date = 2007-12-15
| url = http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/12528571.html
| url = http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/12528571.html
| access-date = 2008-12-27}}</ref> and to hang out with male friends.<ref name="Mancave">{{cite news
| accessdate = 2008-12-27}}</ref> or hang out with friends.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mancaveadvisor.com/reasons-why-guys-need-a-man-cave/|title=8 Reasons Why Guys Need a Man Cave|last=Budgen|first=Greg|date=2019-05-27|website=Man Cave Advisor|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref> According to psychiatrist and author [[Scott Haltzman]], it is important for a man to have a place to call his own, referring to a male area to which to retreat. Rules are relaxed; it is a place where other people's sensibilities about standards of [[cleanliness]] are not necessarily observed.<ref name=twsFebB12>{{cite news
| last = Collier
|author= Marco R. della Cava
| first = Joe Guy
|title= Manspace: The final frontier of guydom
| title = Man Cave: A place to call his own
|newspaper= USA Today
| newspaper = Seattle Times
|date= 2007-01-04
| date = 2005-10-08
|url= https://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2007-01-03-manspace_x.htm
| url = https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20051008/designmancave08/man-cave-a-place-to-call-his-own
|accessdate= 2011-02-02
| access-date = 2008-12-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mancaveadvisor.com/reasons-why-guys-need-a-man-cave/|title=8 Reasons Why Guys Need a Man Cave|last=Budgen|first=Greg|date=2019-05-27|website=Man Cave Advisor|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref><ref name="twsFebB12" /> According to psychiatrist and author [[Scott Haltzman]], it is important for a man to have a place to call his own.
}}</ref>


Writer and handyman Sam Martin explained:
In a sense, for married men, it is a way to recreate some of the space and freedom of their [[bachelor pad|pad]], [[fraternity house|frat house]], or college [[dormitory|dorm room]], where people could come and go as if they owned the place.<ref name=twsFebB12/> It is where a man doesn't have to be on his best behavior, where no women are around, and is supposed to be able to relax.<ref name=twsFebB12/> Writer and handyman Sam Martin explained:


{{Quote|Men have had an identity problem since the women's movement. They have tried to figure out who they're supposed to be. For a while women wanted them to be more sensitive, so they were more sensitive. Then women wanted them to be more manly. One of the things I discovered is when men have their own manspace, what they put inside of it is really an expression of who they are. Manspace is about establishing an identity for a man. Our premise is that women have control of the look and the feel of the house and that left guys wanting more. Anybody who has a specific interest or hobby or work or collection is going to want a space to indulge that.|Sam Martin, in the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', 2007<ref name=twsFebB13>{{cite news
{{Blockquote|Men have had an identity problem since the women's movement. They have tried to figure out who they're supposed to be. For a while women wanted them to be more sensitive, so they were more sensitive. Then women wanted them to be more manly. One of the things I discovered is when men have their own manspace, what they put inside of it is really an expression of who they are. Manspace is about establishing an identity for a man. Our premise is that women have control of the look and the feel of the house and that left guys wanting more. Anybody who has a specific interest or hobby or work or collection is going to want a space to indulge that.|Sam Martin, in the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', 2007<ref name=twsFebB13>{{cite news
|author= Elana Ashanti Jefferson of the New York Times News Services
|author= Elana Ashanti Jefferson of the New York Times News Services
|title= Men are staking out personal space at home
|title= Men are staking out personal space at home
|newspaper= Chicago Tribune
|newspaper= Chicago Tribune
|date= June 3, 2007
|date= June 3, 2007
|url= http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2007-06-03/news/0705311645_1_space-women-s-movement-manly
|url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/06/03/men-are-staking-out-personal-space-at-home/
|accessdate= 2011-02-02
|access-date= 2011-02-02
}}</ref>}}
}}</ref>}}


Sociologist Tristan Bridges has interviewed American men and their partners about man caves, and found that many men rarely used their man caves. One interviewee said, "I feel like some day guys from my neighbourhood will congregate here after work and we'll share a beer and chat." When asked who these men from the neighborhood were, the interviewee replied "I don't know". Bridges stated that his research has turned partly into "a story about men's loneliness."<ref name="tt">{{cite news| last = Hoyle | first = Ben | title = What man caves can tell you about humans | newspaper = The Times| year=2019 | url = https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/world/what-man-caves-can-tell-you-about-humans-8jzthprxw}}</ref>
Martin thinks that any space in the house will do, even a lounge chair and a set of headphones, provided there's an agreement with one's wife or girlfriend that the space is under the control of the man.<ref name=twsFebB13/> The advantages of a self-contained room are that male-oriented design choices, such as tacky lamps and beer-can sculptures, are out of sight of women, but in a way that doesn't disturb female sensibilities since visitors generally don't visit the man cave.<ref name=twsFebB13/> It's like a [[firehouse]] lounge room, but in the home.<ref name=twsFebB15>{{cite news
|author= Carly Baldwin
|title= The 13th Street firehouse is a "Man Cave" (again)
|newspaper= Newark Star-Ledger
|date= March 21, 2008
|url= http://www.nj.com/hobokennow/index.ssf/2008/03/ghdghfjhg.html
|accessdate= 2011-02-02
}}</ref>


In 2005, Paula Aymer of [[Tufts University]] suggested it was the "last bastion of [[masculinity]]".<ref name=twsFebB11/>
Sociologist Tristan Bridges has interviewed American men and their partners about their man caves. He found that many men rarely used their man caves. One man Bridges interviewed said "I feel like some day guys from my neighbourhood will congregate here after work and we'll share a beer and chat." When Bridges asked about who these guys were, the man replied "I don't know". Bridges says that his research has turned partly into 'a story about men's loneliness.<ref name="tt">{{cite news| last = Hoyle | first = Ben | title = What man caves can tell you about humans | newspaper = The Times| year=2019 | url = https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/world/what-man-caves-can-tell-you-about-humans-8jzthprxw}}</ref>


==Design==
==Design==
[[File:Man Cave.jpg|thumb|right|A man cave arranged as a [[pool room]], with beer advertisements on the wall.]]
According to several sources, the general architectural and [[design]] trend is for men to take traditionally male-only spaces, and enhance them with improvements and masculine aesthetic choices. Man caves can be equipped with accessories such as refrigerators,<ref name="businessweek" /><ref name="usatoday1">{{cite news| last = Hiestand | first = Michael | title = Want a Super ticket? Invest in sports futures | newspaper = USA TODAY | date = 2004-01-29 | url = https://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand/2004-01-29-hiestand_x.htm | accessdate = 2008-12-27}}</ref><ref name="themenscave">{{cite web| title = 5 Essential things every Man Cave should have | publisher = The Men's Cave | date = 2016-10-24 | url = http://themenscave.sg/5-essential-things-every-man-cave-needs | accessdate = 2016-11-14}}</ref> vending machines,<ref name="washingtonpost" /><ref name="usatoday1" /> [[putting green]]s, [[kegerator]]s,<ref name="usatoday2" /> giant [[TV]]s,<ref name="usatoday2" /> musical instruments including gear such as microphone stands and amplifiers,<ref name="startribune" /><ref name=twsFebB11/> pool tables, boxing rings,<ref name=twsFebB13/> and entertainment centers. A man cave may also be fitted out with a bar and [[sports memorabilia]] such as trophies.<ref name=twsFebB11/><ref name="seattletimes" /> In the book ''Where Men Hide'' which ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' described as an affable but only “sometimes thought provoking” guide, author James Twitchell and photographer Ken Ross explore areas where men like to be alone.<ref name=PublishersWeekly>Publishers Weekly, 2006, James B. Twitchell, Author, Ken Ross, Photographer, [http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-231-13734-8 Where Men Hide], Accessed July 10, 2013</ref> According to Twitchell, some public male-only spaces, such as the barbershop, are declining, while other spaces are taking their places, and the author tries to show the attractions of the "grimy garage."<ref name=PublishersWeekly/> The book suggests that "men make their own spaces for good or ill", according to ''Publishers Weekly''.<ref name=PublishersWeekly/> Twitchell focused on communal ''man cave'' spaces such as male-only groups in megachurches, possibly a modern-day replacement for declining attendance at male-only clubs such as [[Masonic lodge]]s.<ref name=CanadaDotCom/> Twitchell noted that some [[anthropologist]]s have speculated that these spots are a place for men to bond before hunting or war, and where they can "smoke or fart" and tell the "same jokes over and over again."<ref name="CanadaDotCom">The Calgary Herald, May 19, 2006, [http://www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/style/story.html?id=1957a80a-1e62-4e33-8523-2b34ff96a125&k=52169 Where men hide: Be it a man cave, a hidey-hole or a recliner, guys crave a place to be alone: Whether it is in the garage, the study or even just sitting in a La-Z-Boy recliner playing video games, men feel the need to get away from women occasionally, according to a new book chronicling the gender's favorite hiding spots], Accessed July 10, 2013 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726233652/http://www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/style/story.html?id=1957a80a-1e62-4e33-8523-2b34ff96a125&k=52169 |date=July 26, 2013 }}</ref>
According to several sources, the general architectural and [[design]] trend of the early 2000s was for men to take traditionally male-only spaces, and equip them with masculine aesthetic choices. Man cave accessories include refrigerators,<ref name="businessweek" /><ref name="usatoday1">{{cite news| last = Hiestand | first = Michael | title = Want a Super ticket? Invest in sports futures | newspaper = USA TODAY | date = 2004-01-29 | url = https://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand/2004-01-29-hiestand_x.htm | access-date = 2008-12-27}}</ref><ref name="themenscave">{{cite web| title = 5 Essential things every Man Cave should have | publisher = The Men's Cave | date = 2016-10-24 | url = http://themenscave.sg/5-essential-things-every-man-cave-needs | access-date = 2016-11-14}}</ref> vending machines,<ref name="washingtonpost" /><ref name="usatoday1" /> [[putting green]]s, [[kegerator]]s,<ref name="usatoday2" /> giant [[TV]]s,<ref name="usatoday2" /> musical instruments and gear,<ref name="startribune" /><ref name=twsFebB11/> pool tables, boxing rings,<ref name=twsFebB13/> entertainment centers, bars, and [[sports memorabilia]] such as trophies.<ref name=twsFebB11/><ref name="seattletimes" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Streiff|first1=Madeline|last2=Dundes|first2=Lauren|date=September 2017|title=From Shapeshifter to Lava Monster: Gender Stereotypes in Disney's Moana|journal=Social Sciences|language=en|volume=6|issue=3|pages=91|doi=10.3390/socsci6030091|doi-access=free}}</ref> Upscale sports-themed furnishings are available to outfit a man cave.<ref name="washingtonpost" /> The room may be large enough to accommodate a big screen television, often used for watching sports games with male friends.<ref name="twsFebB11" />


In the book ''Where Men Hide'', which ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' described as an affable but only "sometimes thought provoking" guide, author James Twitchell and photographer Ken Ross explored areas where men like to be alone.<ref name="PublishersWeekly">Publishers Weekly, 2006, James B. Twitchell, Author, Ken Ross, Photographer, [http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-231-13734-8 Where Men Hide], Accessed July 10, 2013</ref> According to Twitchell, some public male-only spaces, such as the barbershop, are declining and being replaced by spaces such as the "grimy garage."<ref name="PublishersWeekly" /> The book suggests that "men make their own spaces for good or ill."<ref name="PublishersWeekly" />
One man redecorated the space to look like a replica model of the bridge of the [[Starship Enterprise|Starship ''Enterprise'']] from the TV show ''[[Star Trek]]'',<ref name=twsFebB13/> while another man spent over 2 years and $120,000 to make his man cave into a [[Batcave]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://laughingsquid.com/batman-fan-builds-an-incredible-real-life-batcave-in-his-basement/|title=Batman Fan Builds an Incredible Real-Life Batcave in His Basement|date=April 25, 2013}}</ref> Upscale sports-themed furnishings are also available to outfit a man cave.<ref name="washingtonpost" /> These rooms are also often decorated by the male, with little or no female influence. The room may be large enough to accommodate a big screen television, often used for watching sports games with male friends.<ref name=twsFebB11>{{cite news |author= Leigh Belanger |title= Man land: More homes have a room just for him, and you'll know it when you see it |newspaper= The Boston Globe |date= February 3, 2005 |url= http://www.boston.com/yourlife/home/articles/2005/02/03/man_land/ |accessdate= 2011-02-02}}</ref> If it is an area set off from the rest of the house, it may be possible to make noise, or yell at the television, without fear of reprisals from a wife, girlfriend or mother.<ref name=twsFebB11/>


Twitchell focused on communal man cave spaces such as male-only groups in megachurches, possibly a modern-day replacement for declining attendance at male-only clubs such as [[Masonic lodge]]s.<ref name="CanadaDotCom" /> Twitchell noted that some [[anthropologist]]s have speculated that these spots are a place for men to bond before hunting or war, and where they can "smoke or fart" and tell the "same jokes over and over again."<ref name="CanadaDotCom">The Calgary Herald, May 19, 2006, [http://www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/style/story.html?id=1957a80a-1e62-4e33-8523-2b34ff96a125&k=52169 Where men hide: Be it a man cave, a hidey-hole or a recliner, guys crave a place to be alone: Whether it is in the garage, the study or even just sitting in a La-Z-Boy recliner playing video games, men feel the need to get away from women occasionally, according to a new book chronicling the gender's favorite hiding spots], Accessed July 10, 2013 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726233652/http://www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/style/story.html?id=1957a80a-1e62-4e33-8523-2b34ff96a125&k=52169 |date=July 26, 2013 }}</ref>
Garages have typically been a man space since they're often lit by "harsh [[fluorescent bulb]]s" and lack heat or air conditioning but nevertheless present a guy with an "opportunity to disappear for hours while never leaving the premises."<ref name=twsFebB12/> There are some reports suggesting that some men are likely to "lavish time, money and attention on fixing this spot up".<ref name=twsFebB12/> Places in houses which have been typically associated with male-oriented chores, such as garages, basements and sheds which have not been "particularly welcoming spaces" when shared with storage items and garbage, are being fixed up to be more suitable as full-time living spaces, with more thought to design and planning.<ref name=twsFebB13/>


One man redecorated his space to look like a replica model of the bridge of the [[Starship Enterprise|Starship ''Enterprise'']] from the TV show ''[[Star Trek]]'',<ref name="twsFebB13" /> while another man spent over two years and $120,000 to make his man cave into a [[Batcave]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://laughingsquid.com/batman-fan-builds-an-incredible-real-life-batcave-in-his-basement/|title=Batman Fan Builds an Incredible Real-Life Batcave in His Basement|date=April 25, 2013}}</ref>
One ''man cave'' of a Gillette corporation executive has a desk, "a chess board that's always set up, never used".<ref name=twsFebB11/> But sometimes there are limits; his wife has not yet agreed to let him smoke cigars in it.<ref name=twsFebB11/>

Garages have typically been a male space since they "present a guy with an opportunity to disappear for hours while never leaving the premises."<ref name="twsFebB12" /> In 2007, it was common for men to "lavish time, money and attention on fixing this spot up",<ref name="twsFebB12" /> with the intention of making it more welcoming.<ref name="twsFebB13" />


== Counterparts ==
== Counterparts ==
Line 133: Line 116:


==In popular culture==
==In popular culture==
There have been several examples of man caves in pop culture, including:
In the book by Sam Martin, entitled ''Manspace: A Primal Guide to Marking Your Territory'', the author suggested there were several spots from pop culture:


* '''[[Al Bundy]]'s garage''' from the TV sitcom ''[[Married... with Children]]'': [[Al Bundy]]'s garage was his only sanctuary. It was also used to hold the recurring "No Ma'am" meetings.
* '''[[Al Bundy]]'s garage''' from the TV sitcom ''[[Married... with Children]]'': Al Bundy's garage was his only sanctuary. It was also used to hold the recurring "No Ma'am" meetings.
* '''[[List of Home Improvement characters#Tim Taylor|Tim Taylor]]'s garage''' in the TV sitcom ''[[Home Improvement (TV series)|Home Improvement]]'': Tim Taylor used to "bring to life all manner of high-powered monster machines."<ref name=twsFebB12/>
* '''[[List of Home Improvement characters#Tim Taylor|Tim Taylor]]'s garage''' in the TV sitcom ''[[Home Improvement (TV series)|Home Improvement]]'': Tim Taylor used to "bring to life all manner of high-powered monster machines."<ref name=twsFebB12/>
* '''[[Bada Bing]] room''' in the TV show ''[[The Sopranos]]'': [[Tony Soprano]]'s gang would meet in a windowless "dingy office" at the [[Bada Bing]] strip club.<ref name=twsFebB12/> It was a "guys-only place within a guys-only place."<ref name=twsFebB12/>
* '''[[Bada Bing]] room''' in the TV show ''[[The Sopranos]]'': [[Tony Soprano]]'s gang would meet in a windowless "dingy office" at the Bada Bing strip club.<ref name=twsFebB12/> It was a "guys-only place within a guys-only place."<ref name=twsFebB12/>
* '''Doug's garage''' in the TV show ''[[The King of Queens]]'', [[Doug Heffernan]]'s garage is equipped with a big screen TV, beer fridge, and a couch where Doug and his friends watch football, baseball, and boxing and drink beer in peace away from Doug's wife, [[Carrie Heffernan|Carrie]], and Doug's father-in-law, [[Arthur Spooner]].
* '''Doug's garage''' in the TV show ''[[The King of Queens]]'', [[Doug Heffernan]]'s garage is equipped with a big screen TV, beer fridge, and a couch where Doug and his friends watch football, baseball, and boxing and drink beer in peace away from Doug's wife, [[Carrie Heffernan|Carrie]], and Doug's father-in-law, [[Arthur Spooner]].
* '''Charles Deetz's den''' in the 1988 movie ''[[Beetlejuice]].'' It is the only room that survives an extensive home renovation initiated by his wife and her decorator.
Also
*'''Charles Deetz's den''' in the movie ''Beetlejuice''. It's the only room that survives an extensive home renovation initiated by his wife and her decorator.


==See also==
==See also==
{{Wiktionary|man cave}}
* [[Andron (architecture)|Andron]]
* [[Andron (architecture)|Andron]]
* [[Bachelor pad]]
* [[Cabinet (room)]]
* [[Cabinet (room)]]
* [[Tiki bars#Home Tiki Bars|Home Tiki Bars]]
* [[Tiki bars#Home tiki bars|Home tiki bars]]
* [[Male bonding]]
* [[Male bonding]]
* [[Mancation]]
* [[Mancation]]
* [[Personal space]]
* [[Shed]]
* [[ManSpace (TV series)|''ManSpace'' (TV series)]]
* [[ManSpace (TV series)|''ManSpace'' (TV series)]]
* ''[[Man Caves]]'', a home renovation program specifically targeted in the creation of man caves.
* ''[[Man Caves]]'', a home renovation program specifically targeted in the creation of man caves.
* [[Personal space]]
* [[Recreation room]]
* [[Shed]]
* [[Study (room)]]


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Refbegin|30em}}
{{Refbegin|30em}}
*{{cite book|last=Soto|first=Gary |title=Why I Don't Write Children's Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JN07BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA157|date=3 March 2015|publisher=ForeEdge from University Press of New England|isbn=978-1-61168-711-8|ref=harv}}
*{{cite book|last=Soto|first=Gary |title=Why I Don't Write Children's Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JN07BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA157|date=3 March 2015|publisher=ForeEdge from University Press of New England|isbn=978-1-61168-711-8}}
{{Refend}}
{{Refend}}
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[[Category:Men's quarters|Cave]]
[[Category:Men's quarters|Cave]]
[[Category:Rooms]]
[[Category:Rooms]]
[[Category:1992 neologisms]]

Latest revision as of 13:55, 28 December 2024

For the American renovation television series, see Man Caves.
A motorcycle enthusiast's man cave
A man cave serving as a home office (5m x 5m size)

A man cave,[1] mancave, or manspace,[2] and less commonly a manland or mantuary is a male retreat[3] or sanctuary[4] in a home, such as a specially equipped garage,[5] spare bedroom,[4] media room,[6] den,[7] basement,[7][8] or tree house.[9] The term "man cave" describes an area in the home where a man can do as he pleases in a masculine space.[10]

Etymology

[edit]

The first known published use of the phrase is from March 21, 1992, in the Toronto Star by Joanne Lovering: "With his cave of solitude secured against wife intrusion by cold floors, musty smells and a few strategic cobwebs, he will stay down there for hours nestled in very manly magazines and open boxes of tools. Let's call the basement, man cave."[11] The phrase gained traction with the 1993 publication of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus by John Gray.[12]

Purpose

[edit]

Man caves have multiple purposes: they are a place to be alone, to indulge in hobbies such as watching sports[13] or playing video games,[14] and to hang out with male friends.[15][16][2] According to psychiatrist and author Scott Haltzman, it is important for a man to have a place to call his own.

Writer and handyman Sam Martin explained:

Men have had an identity problem since the women's movement. They have tried to figure out who they're supposed to be. For a while women wanted them to be more sensitive, so they were more sensitive. Then women wanted them to be more manly. One of the things I discovered is when men have their own manspace, what they put inside of it is really an expression of who they are. Manspace is about establishing an identity for a man. Our premise is that women have control of the look and the feel of the house and that left guys wanting more. Anybody who has a specific interest or hobby or work or collection is going to want a space to indulge that.

— Sam Martin, in the Chicago Tribune, 2007[17]

Sociologist Tristan Bridges has interviewed American men and their partners about man caves, and found that many men rarely used their man caves. One interviewee said, "I feel like some day guys from my neighbourhood will congregate here after work and we'll share a beer and chat." When asked who these men from the neighborhood were, the interviewee replied "I don't know". Bridges stated that his research has turned partly into "a story about men's loneliness."[18]

In 2005, Paula Aymer of Tufts University suggested it was the "last bastion of masculinity".[10]

Design

[edit]
A man cave arranged as a pool room, with beer advertisements on the wall.

According to several sources, the general architectural and design trend of the early 2000s was for men to take traditionally male-only spaces, and equip them with masculine aesthetic choices. Man cave accessories include refrigerators,[5][19][20] vending machines,[6][19] putting greens, kegerators,[4] giant TVs,[4] musical instruments and gear,[8][10] pool tables, boxing rings,[17] entertainment centers, bars, and sports memorabilia such as trophies.[10][14][21] Upscale sports-themed furnishings are available to outfit a man cave.[6] The room may be large enough to accommodate a big screen television, often used for watching sports games with male friends.[10]

In the book Where Men Hide, which Publishers Weekly described as an affable but only "sometimes thought provoking" guide, author James Twitchell and photographer Ken Ross explored areas where men like to be alone.[22] According to Twitchell, some public male-only spaces, such as the barbershop, are declining and being replaced by spaces such as the "grimy garage."[22] The book suggests that "men make their own spaces for good or ill."[22]

Twitchell focused on communal man cave spaces such as male-only groups in megachurches, possibly a modern-day replacement for declining attendance at male-only clubs such as Masonic lodges.[23] Twitchell noted that some anthropologists have speculated that these spots are a place for men to bond before hunting or war, and where they can "smoke or fart" and tell the "same jokes over and over again."[23]

One man redecorated his space to look like a replica model of the bridge of the Starship Enterprise from the TV show Star Trek,[17] while another man spent over two years and $120,000 to make his man cave into a Batcave.[24]

Garages have typically been a male space since they "present a guy with an opportunity to disappear for hours while never leaving the premises."[2] In 2007, it was common for men to "lavish time, money and attention on fixing this spot up",[2] with the intention of making it more welcoming.[17]

Counterparts

[edit]

Women have created similar spaces in which they can relax and pursue hobbies. These have been referred to as "she-sheds" and "girl-caves".[25] Some analysts have described the manosphere as an online counterpart to the man-cave.[26]

[edit]

There have been several examples of man caves in pop culture, including:

  • Al Bundy's garage from the TV sitcom Married... with Children: Al Bundy's garage was his only sanctuary. It was also used to hold the recurring "No Ma'am" meetings.
  • Tim Taylor's garage in the TV sitcom Home Improvement: Tim Taylor used to "bring to life all manner of high-powered monster machines."[2]
  • Bada Bing room in the TV show The Sopranos: Tony Soprano's gang would meet in a windowless "dingy office" at the Bada Bing strip club.[2] It was a "guys-only place within a guys-only place."[2]
  • Doug's garage in the TV show The King of Queens, Doug Heffernan's garage is equipped with a big screen TV, beer fridge, and a couch where Doug and his friends watch football, baseball, and boxing and drink beer in peace away from Doug's wife, Carrie, and Doug's father-in-law, Arthur Spooner.
  • Charles Deetz's den in the 1988 movie Beetlejuice. It is the only room that survives an extensive home renovation initiated by his wife and her decorator.

See also

[edit]
Look up man cave in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Goodman, Michelle (May 2, 2008). "Why he needs a room of his own". Cable News Network (CNN). Retrieved 2009-02-09.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Marco R. della Cava (2007-01-04). "Manspace: The final frontier of guydom". USA Today. Retrieved 2011-02-02.
  3. ^ Davidson, Max (11 June 2013). "Father's Day: treat your Dad to a man cave". The Telegraph. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d Howard, Theresa (2007-08-16). "Alltel website takes interactive campaign into man cave". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  5. ^ a b Palmeri, Chris (2006-12-06). "Where's Your Man Cave?". BusinessWeek. Archived from the original on December 15, 2006. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  6. ^ a b c Hales, Linda (2006-01-07). "Sporting Up the 'Man Cave'". Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  7. ^ a b Jones, Scott (2008-12-09). "Gifts Guaranteed To Keep Your Gamer's Thumbs Warm". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on 2008-12-24. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  8. ^ a b "Divine Design redesigns a basement". Star Tribune. 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  9. ^ Anabela Rea (2017-08-29). "An Auckland man cave-meets-tree house with all the trimmings". Stuff. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
  10. ^ a b c d e Leigh Belanger (February 3, 2005). "Man land: More homes have a room just for him, and you'll know it when you see it". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 2011-04-16. Retrieved 2011-02-02.
  11. ^ Friend, David (2017). The Naughty Nineties: The Triumph of the American Libido. Twelve Books. p. 407. ISBN 9780446556293.
  12. ^ Wilks, Jon (28 October 2015). "The history of the man cave". The Box Room. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  13. ^ Infographics Academy (2020-11-04). "How to Build an Ultimate Man Cave".
  14. ^ a b Breckenridge, Mary Beth (2007-12-15). "Quick, to the man cave". Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio.com). Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  15. ^ Collier, Joe Guy (2005-10-08). "Man Cave: A place to call his own". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  16. ^ Budgen, Greg (2019-05-27). "8 Reasons Why Guys Need a Man Cave". Man Cave Advisor. Retrieved 2019-05-29.
  17. ^ a b c d Elana Ashanti Jefferson of the New York Times News Services (June 3, 2007). "Men are staking out personal space at home". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2011-02-02.
  18. ^ Hoyle, Ben (2019). "What man caves can tell you about humans". The Times.
  19. ^ a b Hiestand, Michael (2004-01-29). "Want a Super ticket? Invest in sports futures". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  20. ^ "5 Essential things every Man Cave should have". The Men's Cave. 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2016-11-14.
  21. ^ Streiff, Madeline; Dundes, Lauren (September 2017). "From Shapeshifter to Lava Monster: Gender Stereotypes in Disney's Moana". Social Sciences. 6 (3): 91. doi:10.3390/socsci6030091.
  22. ^ a b c Publishers Weekly, 2006, James B. Twitchell, Author, Ken Ross, Photographer, Where Men Hide, Accessed July 10, 2013
  23. ^ a b The Calgary Herald, May 19, 2006, Where men hide: Be it a man cave, a hidey-hole or a recliner, guys crave a place to be alone: Whether it is in the garage, the study or even just sitting in a La-Z-Boy recliner playing video games, men feel the need to get away from women occasionally, according to a new book chronicling the gender's favorite hiding spots, Accessed July 10, 2013 Archived July 26, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^ "Batman Fan Builds an Incredible Real-Life Batcave in His Basement". April 25, 2013.
  25. ^ Soto 2015, p. 157.
  26. ^ DeKeseredy, Walter S., Alexis Fabricius, and Amanda Hall-Sanchez. "Fueling aggrieved entitlement: The contribution of women against feminism postings." Crimsoc report 4 (2015): 1-34.
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