What about books where racism and feminism are themes? Here is a review of "The Bluest Eye" written by Nobel Prize Winner Toni Morrison.
What is feminist theory? Have images and roles of men and women changed over the last 2centuries? 
Does television help promote tolerance and acceptance of different ideas about masculinity and worth and value?
Does television help promote tolerance and acceptance of different ideas about masculinity and worth and value?
Who was Ernst Rohm?
Was he killed because of his sexuality or his planned coup against Hitler?
Is gender and sexuality the same thing? Should the private sexuality of people be an issue in their public life?
Above Prof Judith Bulter of Stanford on Gender as Performance and Hilary Swank in the movie "Boys Don't Cry"
“Dude, you’re a fag” by C.J. Pascoe deals with masculinity and sexuality in high schools. Gender and sexuality is a major cause of bullying and harassment in schools and this has major consequences on the person being harassed. In some cases, it could also affect the people around him/her. We perceive gender to be what society defines it as. It’s almost as though a person cannot choose their gender for themselves but it is decided by what society classifies their interests, behaviour and mannerisms as. A girl who plays sports might be labeled as a lesbian or a “tomboy” and a boy who dances or sings might be presumed to be gay or a “sissy”.
ReplyDeleteThrough this 18 month fieldwork in a racially diverse working class high school, C.J. Pascoe unveiled many things about our society, especially in schools. Words like “fag” are used as tools to enforce the boundaries of masculinity. Although by definition “faggot” is a male homosexual, it is loosely used to refer to someone as an idiot, a coward or someone who is not thought of by others as “manly”. In my opinion, even if words such as “fag” are completely unrelated to one’s sexual orientation, it is degrading and offensive to someone who is actually homosexual as people use it as an insult and with a negative connotation. The students interviewed by C.J. Pascoe also said that the term “fag” was the worst tag one boy could give to another.
It is frustrating that people who break the boundaries of sexuality and gender cannot live in peace. They are constantly reminded of how they are not “normal” or how they don’t fit in simply because the majority gets to decide what normalcy is.
Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, who committed suicide at the age of 11 due to anti gay taunts by students in his school, is one of thousands of people who deal with such circumstances daily. Not only do children have to deal with this treatment in school but even at home. Leelah Alcorn, a transgender teenager committed suicide because her parents refused to allow her to live as a girl because their religion didn’t permit it. These horrific incidents take place so often and yet we are tied down by society’s norms and are not accepting of people who are different in their own right.
C.J. Pascoe’s fieldwork with high school students draws attention to this ever-growing issue about gender, sex and sexuality. I think it’s important to recognize these issues and not simply accept them as they are.
Gender inequality has always been one of the most controversial topics of discussion. After watching the video on ‘The Feminist Theory’ by Khan Academy, I am able to comprehend the unfairness of gender biases and the how, despite the advancing world, gender is something that will always prove a barrier when it comes to society and media. The video talks about how there are certain values allotted to each gender, and if one does not possess these values, they are outcast and avoided.
ReplyDeleteAn example of this can be seen in the trailer of ‘Boys Don’t Cry,’ which, as the title itself suggests, is a movie about expectations of gender roles and about how anyone confused about their sexual identity would be scorned and judged. One of the most effective lines of the trailer is ‘You can’t keep running.’ This line really made an impression on me because it is due to us, that people are afraid of admitting their true identity, causing them to suffer in silence and loneliness.
In ‘Billy Elliot,’ just because Billy is interested in dancing, which, according to the ‘rules of gender roles’ does not fit into the male category, he is reprimanded and punished. This further elucidates the idea put forth in the video on the Feminist Theory, which is that ‘power, responsibilities and gender biases permeate every aspect of society.’ In the video, an example is given about a Stanford professor, who’s ideas were never accepted until she had a sex change and became a man. This further indicates the shallowness of gender inequality, as it is based primarily on one’s physical appearance; whether they are a male or a female.
These ideas regarding the two completely different spheres of gender, only cause more problems and prove how slowly, in reality, the world is progressing.
The feminist theory is an extension of feminism that aims to understand gender inequality in society. Women have always been considered inferior among the two genders. Due to this reason, they have been harassed, tortured, physically abused, and at times are treated more like an object. Back in the day, women were suppose to take care of the house and the family, while the men would go out to work and earn a living. Women have been confined to being soft and quite, while the men are the ones that get to rule and go to war. Our society follows the patriarchal system,therefore, it is taken for granted that women have to follow men in every way. This is prevalent in all walks of life, from the basic household environment all the way into the field of academia. This is explained with a classic example in the video on feminist theory ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHPOLSywdi0 ), Mr. Ben, a professor of neurobiology at Stanford University. He started his career as a women and after he changed his gender, people considered his research to be better than his sister Babrah's research. Unaware about the fact that Ben and Babrah are the same person. This is when the hypocracy of people is highlighted. They talk about 'upliftment of women' in society but are unable to put it into practice.
ReplyDeleteMen consider themselves to be more powerful because it has been fed into their young minds since childhood, that they are superior. They are the ones who have to be educated and have to be at a reputable position in society, while the image of women, as portrayed, is just restricted to that of a homemaker, whose entire life passes in taking care of her family and cooking at home. The video correctly states that men are associated with their mind and women are associated with their body.
The feminist theory does not oppose men, it just highlights the injustice faced by women in a society that claims to 'uplift' them.
Women in Media
ReplyDeleteBack in the day, sexist commercials all used to use variations of the same stereotypical woman. This woman was portrayed as being submissive, vapid and childish, all whilst wearing a short dress, her lips painted an alluring shade of red. The men on the other hand were strong and powerful figures, who on occasion were even derogatory towards the women. These abusive personality traits, however, were played for laughs, with audiences ignoring the harsh, dangerous undercurrents within them. A man could get away with throwing a tea cup into a flower pot or pointing his fingers menacingly at his wife because it was termed a justifiable response to the woman's supposed incompetency.
These advertisements played to the enforced gender roles - a woman doesn't care about gold standards or money, she should have her mind wrapped up in cooking and laundry and a man shouldn't even attempt to make his own coffee. In order for men to feel superior, they had to relegate a woman's role to that of a dim-witted, purse-loving housewife. Boys grew up watching this offensive behaviour only to replicate these faults within their own domestic framework. So why was the focus of a photocopying advertisement the fit of a woman’s dress? Why are brands resorting to objectifying woman, is this a last resort or a trick of the trade?
Speaking of the trade, writer John Berger stated ‘Men act and women appear’ in his 1972 book, Ways of Seeing. This holds true even today… how many women have you heard giving voice-overs without once appearing in the advertisement itself? How many men? This shows that the struggle for gender equality is alive and burning even today as women in media fight to ensure their voices are heard.
The feminist theory is a theory with whose help we can look at society from a different point of view; as men and women as equals. Some may misunderstand it as an attempt to replace men in the world but in fact it is an attempt to bring in equality between the two genders.
ReplyDeleteClearly as in portrayed in the video women of the modern time on a daily basis experience or are subjected to – ‘Discrimination’, ‘Objectification’, ‘Oppression’, Stereotyping’. Women are given a more passive role in society that is as Home Makers (housewife) while Men are given a more active role that is as Bread Earners or in other words the earning member of the family. We play down the importance of women in the world. We believe them to subordinate to the men and thus relate every important role in society to a MAN. For example policeMEN, businessMEN and so on….
We need to get rid of this perception of women in our mind. Nothing called Male Dominance exists. Its sinful to even think so. In recent time women have proved that they are equally capable and sometimes even more in comparision in men. The “NEW WOMEN” play a significant role in society. They hold top positions, they make critical decisions ,they are the leaders of tomorrow! Hilary Clinton(Presidential candidate of The United States), Serena Williams(International Tennis Player), Oprah Winfrey(Television personality and businesswoman) or even Sania Nehwal ( Indian Badminton Player and Olympic medalist) hav constantly proved this point. Men and Women both are human at the end of the day and both should live in equality and freedom. Thats the motto we all must follow !
“All through life there were distinctions - toilets for men, toilets for women; clothes for men, clothes for women - then, at the end, the graves are identical.”- Leila Aboulela
ReplyDeleteThe quote above perfectly describes the irony in one of mankind's biggest failures today, and that is gender inequality. Gender inequality is a problem that has been persisting for as long as we can remember, and as the video "Feminist Theory" by Khan Academy states, it is society's classifications for men and women that is the very root of this problem. Generations and generations of humanity have been brought up with the one principle being displayed all around them and that is the superiority of men. These sexist commercials are what every generation of men and women grow up watching. They grow up being shown on television, at school, in the workplace, and even in their own homes, that women are supposed to step back and take a seat while the man dominates and makes all the decisions.
Women are consistently undervalued for all the work they do. Women are underestimated. There is a real life example of the Stanford neurobiology professor who changed his gender, and got credit for the work he did when he turned into a man, which he would not have received, had he remained a woman. This is what our society has come to. Society has, unexpectedly, reached a point where feminists are accused of asking for superiority, when all they want, and rightly deserve, is equality. After all, at the end of the day, the graves are identical.
In "Your Behaviour Creates Your Gender", Judith Butler talks strongly about how gender confines us to perform in a way society around us wants us to be. For the society she experienced, there existed only two extremes; the male who is supposed to be a sports fanatic, muscular, strong and controlling and a female to be soft in her ways ,”ladylike”, quiet, confined to a certain paradigm decided by the society for her. Judith Butler opposes this dominant stereotype by expressing that society perceives gender as role-playing rather than individual identity. The way society has shockingly welcomed her makes her conclude that gender is a phenomenon which is produced and re produced again. This phenomenon according to her is not evolving but the stereotypes people have for a particular gender are getting stronger. So strong that they are becoming stereotypical insults. She narrates about how she was called a “lesbian” by a woman while she walked on the street. Now, the woman without being acquainted with Judith, drew a conclusion just by the way Judith dressed or walked. From this incident, she ponders over the thought of how these gender norms have evolved. Cultural and social set ups have backed up gender norms to become what they are today. Attributes like bullying have plummeted the strength of these gender norms further. The fear of being shunned just because you’re a boy who likes ballet or a girl who plays soccer and dresses comfortably in jersey shorts and baggy t shirts, restricts individual identity for the sake of maintaining these gender norms. Judith concludes on a small note saying that we not only have to disrupt these gender boundaries but also respect the ones who are not confirmed where they really stand.
ReplyDeleteIn reference to this topic I came across this video which I’d like to share. It elaborates Judith’s view of how role-playing in terms of gender has been pinned into our minds even before we made an opinion for ourselves. Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjJQBjWYDTs
In "your behaviour creates your gender" by Judith Butler, she explains and defines what 'gender' means in both; the stereotypical way and her perception of it.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of gender is one that is a consequence of social construction and is not something that is inherent. Judith Butler argues that one cannot attribute the same qualities to a group of people as our behaviour is manifested by our circumstances. Judith Butler tries to break the gender norms by depicting gender as something that one is “free” to choose. However, in my opinion societal approval not only dictates what gender we are but also determines the way we behave, taking away that sense of freedom. Gender is created and shaped by ones surroundings and themselves, it is not a label that is thrust upon someone and it should not define or become an identity.
Although Butler uses gender stereotypes as a basis to explain gender difference she also states that the imposition of gender stereotypes acts as a catalyst for people who are gender different as they feel the need to break these stereotypes. Gender discrimination is a prejudice that is created based on ones sex or gender. Although it can affect any gender, it is most often recurring as affecting women, based on a stereotypical image and role that women are viewed as; being a dominant figure; only domestically and having no qualifications to even get involved in politics or business.
As the world continues to reshape and grow in various aspects and fields, gender discrimination is still a prominent and a pressing issue in many different countries. For instance, in some parts like the west, women had to fight for getting the right to vote and being able to stand for political posts. However, these methods used by them were not as drastic as the women in Africa, who had to fight to abolish slavery and get educated. However, at the end the perseverance of these women overcame all kinds of autocracy and established awareness for their movements.
Even in today’s modern world, gender biases are still prevalent. Men are expected to be more intellectually inclined, more powerful and more dominating than women; while women are expected to be submissive and passive. Feminist theory, which developed from feminism, aims to understand women’s social roles and these gender inequalities in society.
ReplyDeleteThe story of Ben Barres both fascinated and shocked me. Before having undergone his sex change, Barres faced a lot of discrimination in his field of academia. Even though he was a top student at esteemed institutions, such as MIT and Harvard, he was deprived of many opportunities and was often not appreciated by his male counterparts, because he was a woman.
After his sex change, Barres claimed that he was given a lot more respect as a male scientist than he was given as a woman scientist.
According to me, such gender biases can only be eradicated if men start to accept that women are as intelligent as men. If men stop objectifying women and deeming them as inferior, women will consequently value their own strength.
Men need to understand that feminism is not about about making the status of women higher than that of men, but about making their statuses equal.
ReplyDeleteThe video about the feminist theory described how women have always been treated unequally. They face discrimination, objectification, oppression, and are stereotyped. Women are thought to be weak and fragile, whereas men are thought to be tough, workers and warriors.
Women have always been confined to the lower limit in society, and are meant to have minimal influence in the public sphere. Men always occupy more prestigious, and higher paying positions. Women are always associated with the body, and men with the mind. This mentality has exploited women, as they are seen as property and objects.
The part I found most interesting in the video was when the example of university professor Ben Barres was given. He had a sex change, from a woman to a man, and people who were unaware of this change believed that his research was far better than that of his ‘sisters’. Even though they were the same person, people were convinced that the work of a man has to be better than that of a woman.
This mentality has been elucidated in sexist commercials shown in the 50's. Several boys grew up watching such ads, which made it look normal to treat women like they are inferior. The movie 'Billy Eliot' also shows us how a major gender gap has been created, where dancing for boys or sports for girls are activities that are frowned upon. I believe that everyone has the right to make a choice in reference to how they wish to behave, and that gender should not be something used to judge people and their interests.
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ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete‘The feminist theory‘ by the Khan academy, highlights the fact that women have been discriminated and considered inferior to men in most walks of life.
There are different expectations for men and women; they both have very distinct roles to play in society. Men are expected to work and provide for the family while women are supposed to take care of the house and children. These split roles are creating an economic and educational difference between men and women, making women seem inferior giving men more power.
I believe that women have not been given enough recognition or credit for their role-played in society. The four theories emphasized in this video, bring out the fact that women have been discriminated, objectified, oppressed and stereotyped in societal structure.
An appropriate example of this happening would be about a man called Ben Harris. Before he went through with his sex change, he wasn’t given a lot of credit and recognition for his work even though he was one of the best scientists in his fields. However, after his sex change, he was given a lot more merit for the work he did; only because he was a man. People devaluate work if a woman does it. There are no reasons for this; it’s just the way our society works today.
Women, as a group, were and still in this day and age are strongly discriminated against. Why does this prevail? This video elucidates the fact that men all over the world treat women as if they are weaker and irrelevant then compared to them. The feminist theory, as the video states, it is developed from feminism and is aimed at exploring the position of women in our society.
ReplyDeleteWe know for a fact that women are not given the opportunities and exposure that men are given. This video, in numerous ways, voices the frustration that women all over the world are too petrified to portray. From politics to working at regular jobs, women are not being able to cement their position in society. Why is his occurring? The video states how men are portrayed as being responsible and brave, but in reality most of them are reckless and cowardly. Being in a position of power it is easy for them to toy with women and perceive them to be nothing more than ‘objects’. Looking at the case of Ben Barres, a neurobiologist at Stanford University. After undergoing a sex change, we heard how people thought his work was far better than ‘Barbara’s’. Ironically, since the both of them were the same people, it tells us how a few people base their response on a piece of work, not by its quality, but childishly, by the sex of the person who has written it.
All around us, we can see signs of discrimination against women. From our basic language, which consists of firemen, policemen or even the mailman gives us an idea as to how biased our society is. Why is that women, are not on par with men? We should not be used to them sitting on the side, while men bask in fame and power. This powerful and poignant video elicits a very strong message to the people watching, not only men but also women. It teaches us that women deserve to be treated justly and also that this is a topic, which must be taken seriously, as, for me women are on the same level, if not more, than we men are.
Gender discrimination still exists in today's society, women are often considered the weaker sex. The clip from the film Billy Eliot clearly depicts this.
ReplyDeleteBilly's father is astonished and disappointed when he sees billy practicing ballet with little girls, the look on his face is priceless. He strongly advises Billy to take up a sport such as wrestling or boxing and not, "freaking ballet." When Billy tries to justify himself his father is furious and decides to ban Billy from going to his ballet class and sit at home and take care of his grandmother.
Women are evidently being discriminated against and there is no apparent or justified reason for this, which is appalling and shameful.
I particularly enjoyed this video as it spoke about gender equality and not about females being superior to males.The video broke down the types of female discrimination in a logical manner without it seeming like an acquisition on the male gender. It spoke about not only of the inferiority of women in society but also the idea that activities conventionally carried out by women such as dance or household work is often considered degrading for a man to do. The film Billy Elliot shows us that all activities are stereotypically either carried out my women or men, and anyone who tries to break this stereotype and carry out something that is not conventionally done by their sex is brought down.
ReplyDeleteThe video used the example of a transgendered professor at Stanford to express that even in educated sections of society such as academia gender discrimination still exists even today.