Chapter 9 Blog Post #3

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/fashion/10Cultural.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

This is an article about how "mean girl bullying" can begin as young as grade school. Most of the time, the bullying starts because one person is different from the "group in charge". Chapter 9 discusses cultural restrictions on civil interactions and how it affects communication between people. People who are similar tend to stick together or form a group, the problem is when they get powerful and dominant. Those dominant group will then reject (and in this case bully) anyone who is different from them. In the case of this article, many of the girls affected by the mean girls wear different clothing labels or prefer different kinds of music. Unfortunately, intolerance is evident in the younger years.

Chapter 9 Blog Post #2

Above is a very early picture of Courtney Love and her band Hole. Courtney Love is known for many things, but one positive thing is that she helped usher in the "riot grrl" movement. Chapter 9 discusses consciously creating and performing gender and Courtney Love is an example. With her tattered babydoll dresses, smeared makeup, and rough, aggressive music, she chose to create a new style of gender rather than agreeing or modifying it. Although her looks could be classified as "feminine" it was a warped kind of femininity. It was making a statement that women could be tough and rock too and they didn't have to play by the rules of society to do so. She helped to bring change to the music scene, and to society.

Chapter 9 Blog Post #1

http://learnfinancialplanning.com/famous-people-who-didnt-go-to-college/

Chapter 9 addresses the idea of hegemonic perspectives. Hegemonic perspectives are ideas/beliefs that society has that are dominant. They seem concrete, fixed, and not eligible for compromise. The idea of adopting christianity (without fully announcing it, just implementing certain aspects of christianity like opening with a prayer), and going to college are all hegemonic perspectives. Even though there is no law or rule that says this has to happen, it is treated as such. I have included an article that refutes the hegemonic perspective that everyone has to go to college to be successful. Even though college is not 100% necessary for success (more like 80%) many people feel pressured into going. The article states that there are quite a few successful people who have dropped out of/ or not went out of college (ie. Mark Zuckerberg and Henry Ford respectively). Of course, people should not skip out on college because they believe they will be millionaires or billionaires, but they should not feel the pressure society puts on them to go.

Ch 8 Blog Post #3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuNIsY6JdUw

Last but not least is the music video for Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me' song. In it, she starts off as an average girl who is in love with the boy next door. However, the boy next door has a girlfriend that does not appreciate him but is an alpha female in some respects (a cheer captain) and in the song Swift compares herself to her saying "she wears high heels, I wear sneakers, she's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers". The normal girl is invisible and seen as just a friend by the object of her affection, until she decides to acquiesce to the responses she gets and goes through a makeover at the end of the video. Only then does she get the guy. She reworked her performance to conform to the view of society which says that the stereotypical idea of beauty is necessary to win a guy.

Ch 8 Blog Post #2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSee8On2lEQ

The above link is a trailer for a movie call Prayers for Bobby. I chose it because it is an example of the Chapter 8 idea of persuasion, rejection, harassment and maintaining. The story is about a Christian family with a strong Christian wife/mother whose youngest son reveals that he is gay. She tries everything in her power to change or convert him, but in the end decides to give up on him as her son. She would try to persuade him and her efforts were almost bordering on harassing. Through it all, her son chose to maintain who he was even though it was a very difficult decision to make. He chose himself.

Ch 8 Blog Post #1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebaFd53yO40&feature=relmfu


Chapter 8 talks about the various responses to performance reviews. One of which is adapting. I chose part of the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding to demonstrate (even though it does not contain all the parts I would prefer). The protagonist, Toula, starts off the film as a 30 year old woman always being told by her very traditional father that she needs to get married soon because she is starting to look old. She describes herself as "frump girl". Later on, she meets a handsome guy and decides to turn her life around and get a makeover. The words and constant verbal attack from her father serve as motivation for her to change, or adapt. She modifies her performance by changing her outward appearance (and occupation) since she gets negativity from her father.

Ch 7 Blog Post #3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKZ9um4SRnA

Above is a link to a movie that is a family favorite, Too Wong Foo. This is a story about men in drag and how they change the lives of people in a small town they stop in. Chapter 7 states that your appearance and artifacts helps express your gender identity and helps others put you in a group and develops expectations a s a result. When these men arrived in a small town, they were all decked out in their woman attire complete with suitcases of clothes, shoes, makeup etc. Obviously the people of this town had no idea what to make of them and had seen nothing like it. They were skeptical. Many of them actually thought they were woman. They dressed differently than the woman in the town. They wore more expensive looking clothes with vibrant colors and jewelry. The townspeople didn't know what to make of them and just thought they were women from the city (which they were) that were going to wreak havoc on their sleepy town. But, they actually helped the lives of many of the women in the town.

Ch 7 Blog Post #2

Emo. It is a term used to describe people whose style looks like the picture above. Even though this appears to be a young women, you will often find that many "emo" guys can often look similar to (or be mistaken for) a woman. Chapter 7 says that your gender performance involves how you see you, how others see you, and how you fit into a larger culture. "Emo" people see themselves as outsiders or different from the regular type of young people (or "alpha youth" i.e. athletes, popular kids, etc). They refuse to buy into what young people are supposed to look like and rebel against it with bright colors, lots of black, and multiple piercings. They see themselves as individuals. On a cultural level, "emo" kids have their own sub-culture. There is even a genre of music now that is called "emo" (many refer to it as "wrist cutting music"). In mainstream culture, they are stereotyped by making it seem as though they only listen to bands that have a lead singer that screams ("screamo") and have emotional, dark lyrical content. Since this type of youth prefer to perform gender this way, they do face ridicule, judgment, bullying, stereotyping, etc.

Ch 7 Blog Post #1

This strange creature is a chameleon. I posted a picture of this because it relates to one of the topics discussed in Chapter 7 about how we have multiple identities and how elements affect our performance. Chameleons are known for being able to "blend in" to their environment to protect themselves from predators. As human beings, we all have a chameleon aspect to ourselves. We change or adapt our stories based on the setting, audience, and performer. I have discovered there is no such thing as being a "universal" person. Meaning, there is no such thing as being the same person consistently no matter the situation. Although it would be nice, we have not progressed nearly enough for that.

Ch 6 Blog Post #3

After the Columbine Massacre, many things were blames from video games to certain musicians. It was said that the two boys were fans of Marilyn Manson and the video game Doom. When preparing for this attack, these two boys were very likely to have selected bits and pieces from both stories. Or, maybe they did not actively accept a story but just had it seep into their psyche. Either way, they would be appropriating gender stories because they took a story and made it part of their life.

Ch 6 Blog Post #2

Victoria's Secret models are some of the most well-known models in this country. We see them multiple times on television modeling lingerie and strutting around. One huge problem with this is that may women and young girls suffer body image issues and self-esteem problems because they think that they are supposed to have this body type. Everyday this standard is shoved down their throats. The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show gets a lot of attention and focus because of all the models, lingerie, and star power. I have seen and heard many women voice their negative opinions about their bodies during and after the show. They want to have their bodies. These women are motivated by self. Many pay attention to the story of these models because it inspires them or they want to be like them. However, it is impossible for this to happen since body types are genetic and vary from person to person.

Ch 6 Post #1

Madonna. You could say that she is known more for her antics and theatrics than her talent, but that is also why people are so attracted to her. Madonna's gender story is vastly different from what the typical story is supposed to be. Because of this, she has faced heavy criticism and backlash. But, she has also been a role model and someone to look up to for many women because of her refusal to play by the status quo. By attending to her gender story,  those who pay attention to it are motivated by her particular story. She grabs their attention because she offers a different story that is a complete 180 from the typical female gender story.

Ch 5 Blog Post #3

Ahh Disney. Disney has a HUGE impact in influencing the lives of children (girls especially). The majority of Disney movies have leading ladies who are princesses. At some point, a man is needed to "save" them and they usually end up happily ever after. Or, in the case of Cinderella, she can't get her man until she gets help from her fairy godmother who makes her aesthetically beautiful to capture the heart of the prince. Either way, the objective in many of these movies is to get the man. Disney helps to retell the binary by using the preparation mechanism. They feed young girls the idea that the love of a man is central to happiness, once that is achieved, their life will be perfect (a fairytale).

Ch 5 Blog Post #2

Here is a picture of Bill Kaulitz. He is the frontman of a German rock band called Tokio Hotel. One of the things this man is known for is his obvious beauty. To many, his beauty is more effeminate than your average guy. Bill is a guy who does not go by the typical ideals set by the gender binary and instead rewrites it. He wears eye makeup and paints his nails which is considered a feminine look. He has changed his look over the years and continues to wear fashion that adds to his androgynous feel. His nails are often painted other colors besides black (mostly white or silver). Either way, he acts as his own agent and changes his style which, in turn,  rewrites the binary.

Ch 5 Blog entry #1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuW-UKadvNY

What you see here is a trailer for the 2005 film Mr. & Mrs. Smith. I chose this clip for my blog entry because it embodies the concept of revising the binary. Revising the binary means to keep the basis of the binary, bur revise it in such a way that it is not quite as disagreeable. In this movie, both characters are equal. Mrs. Smith is an assassin just like her husband and has all of the same skills and sense of wit he has. However, she is still very sexualized in the film. This film is an example of expansion that goes beyond the typical binary. Mrs. Smith is still a badass like her husband, but she also has the sex appeal that oozes out of her. Pair that with her assassin skills and she is every boy/man's fantasy.

Ch 4 Blog Post #4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS2BpORASX0


An example of an "estrogen fest" movie aka a romantic movie. The Notebook is a film that has made a huge impact on romantic movies and is known as one of THE romantic movies. It has achieved all this notoriety and recognition even though it has not even been out 10 years yet. It follows the typical recipe for a "chic flick" with a passionate whirlwind summer romance that ends abruptly only to restart again by chance..but with a few twists and turns. Our culture makes it seem as though our hormones dictate what movies we prefer, and that is absurd. Also, both men and women have both estrogen and progesterone, but our culture makes it seem as though only women and men like certain kinds of movies. As it turns out, there are men who enjoy romantic movies and women who enjoy movies with action, special effects, etc. But this truth does not receive the same attention.

Ch 4 Blog Post #3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgEqVYcryWc

Another story on gender difference states that men are all testosterone and aggression and women are all feminine and estrogen-y. This is well evident in movies ie the phrase "chic flick" often referring to movies that are a "estrogen fest", majority of them are romantic comedies. Guys films are "testosterone fests" that have action, fight sequences, fast cars, or maybe all of the above. The above link is a PRIME EXAMPLE of what a "testosterone film" is. Many action hero guys (many past their prime I might add) with nary a woman in sight.

Ch 4 Blog Post #2

This is the book that took the idea that men and women are completely different, and just RAN with it. It is partly responsible for the idea that women talk more and are more open than men. The book seems to come with good intentions (of "improving communications and getting what you want in your relationship") as it states on the cover. But the way this is done encourages the binary and uses a lot of misinformation. You can tell from the differences in font (and color!) in the title that this book will take the idea of the binary, analyze it, make it seem factual, and shove it down your throat.

Ch 4 Blog Post #1

One of the three stories on gender differences stated that women talk more (even excessively) than men. Once media and the rest of society picked up on this myth, it somehow turned into a fact despite actual evidence stating otherwise. This quote is a prime example that men are, quite often, the more talkative ones. Even though you could make the argument and say that men talk more in politics because there are more men in politics, this would not be true universally. The study Dale Spender did with her recorder was enough proof to show that men talk more. Some of her conversations were one-on-one meaning that both parties should have equal opportunity to speak. But, the men talked more. However, since this discovery does not agree with the cultural idea, it is swept under the rug.

According to society, many jobs (i.e. secretary and nursing) is seen as a woman's job. A man in these occupations is questioned and is "outside the man-box". It does not fit in the box, therefore he is not truly masculine

This shows how society constructs the feminine and masculine. Women are emotional and therefore have more romantic ideas and think/feel with their heart, men (if they are to feel more emotions at all) are to feel it in the groin...*groan*

An example of what it means to be "feminine" in this society. To be dependent of course. We need to find our own superman...blech!

Nowish

A small snapshot of how various religions view gender roles. Specifically, women's roles.

Nowish

Self-explanatory!

Girl Power!!

The Spice Girls were all about Girl Power! They were an eclectic bunch with a message that its okay to deviate from the norm.

1990s

Claudia Schiffer Guess Jeans Ad. A little snapshot of how women are portrayed and how they are supposed to be in real life.

1970s!

A change to the status quo!

A change is nigh! (1971)

1971!!!

Women in the 50s but with a twist!

Women roles in the 50s

Sums up women in the 70s. Times were changing.

Women in the Nifty Fifties part deux!

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/noir/np02wwii.html

Women in movies at this time were based on what culture said they should be. However, film noir did offer some films with women who deviate from the typical woman of that time. They were depicted as femme fatales or weirdly independent. Unfortunately, their fate in some of these movies did not go well or they are somehow converted.

Women in the Nifty Fiftiess!!

http://genderroles1950.blogspot.com/

This article discusses how Barbies and cultural icons (Marilyn Monroe, June Cleaver, Lucille Ball) had an influence on women. Barbies were to represent what women were expected to be like. June Cleaver was the ultimate standard women were held to.

But I AM a girl

Jackie, born a boy, has always liked wearing girls clothing and soon decided to be a girl..for life. The parents were accepting, grandparents? Not So Much.

I happened to come across this image while looking for something that would really capture the idea of gender stereotyping. This image is used to educate and challenge children on the common stereotypes on both men and women. Can women wearing pants be golfers? Can men wear skirts?

Lady Gaga is a Feminist


Say what you will about Mother Monster (as she is known by millions of adoring fans), there is a method to her madness. It is no secret that Lady Gaga is one of the most..ahem...spirited and controversial artists in some time; she is a big supporter of women and letting their voice be heard.