Gender and Sexuality. The Final Critical Summary

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Table of Contents

Feminism
Women at the cinema
Reading Romance
Watching Dallas
Reading Woman’s Magazines
Race, Racism and Representation
The Ideology of Racism: Its Historical emergence
Orientalism
Works cited

Feminism

Throughout history, gender is commonly conceptualized as “the overall communally build most of the roles associated with each sex, what ethnicity makes out of the raw material’ of biological sex, and as “non-physiological aspects of being female or male–the cultural expectations for femininity and masculinity” (Oskamp 135). Additionally, most authors contrast the term gender and sex, describing sex as that which divides men from women in terms of physiological make-up, chromosomal as well as hormonal balance, while gender is described as that which refers to the cultural and historical specifics that make different individuals act out as masculine or feminine. Chapter seven of the book Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: an introduction by John Storey and entitled “Gender and sexuality,” reflects the issues of gender and sexuality from a cultural point of view, developing models to be used throughout the study and that are consistent with the study of these topics from a literature, cinematic and cultural perspective.

Since the beginning of time, the world all around has continuously experienced a gradual change in the support of the rights of women. Feminists have throughout the ages aimed at increasing the education opportunities that are handed out to women, fighting for a single, high standard way of life for them and thus increasing the moral wellbeing of society. With this increased education opportunities, there has been a tremendous change in the job and employment industry, with more and more women becoming capable of bettering their economic standing in the community. Women have fought for equity in political and social positions, culminating in the creation of a new breed of women, who are not only unafraid to try new challenges and overcoming the male dominance that has throughout plagued society. While this woman has still retained the traditional position of the wife and the mother, she has frequently demanded equal respect in comparison to women as well as increased responsibility in society, with casual critics associating the success of the modern women to the influences that literature and cinema has had.

Women at the cinema

While the traditional writer Alice Rossi has characterized literal devices used to depict women as “the deepest premises of their thinking,….with most early narratives born of feminists being profoundly conservative and moralistic, we see Oskamp well exhibiting the leadership role that the woman has been taking in the recent past and the never ending enthusiasm in the cinema (Oskamp 136). This is characterized in the same writings as being a form of moral improvement on society as well as a self-conscious female undertaking and enterprising of extricating their thinking from their traditional circumstances. Accordingly, it is not hard to realize that most of the female reformers as well as literary writers of the progressive literary era have openly held on to the ethical hegemony and ideology that has been bequeathed unto them by tradition, as a morally superior being that is particularly matched for protecting herself from the domestic sphere of male-corrupt influence both in the workplace and society. By accepting this conventional belief- a belief that has on the one hand relegated women to the background of oppression and discrimination by their male counterparts while on the other hand giving them particular powers in society- the new, modern women of the progressive age have successfully argued for the legal extension of their influence, right into the very spheres of societal representation. The nineteenth-century middle-class philosophy and literature has perfected an image of a woman that is morally and ethically superior and one who is able to defend her maternal and wifely sphere from the influence of the chauvinistic, male-dominated world (Storey 136).

Feminism is defined as the collective movement of women and other like-minded individuals with the aim of establishing and defending equivalent political, social as well as financial rights as those that are bequeathed to their male counterparts. With concepts and leadership properties that overlap with those belonging to the women’s rights movements, feminists offer a controversial challenge to the traditional mode of thinking in major fields of literature, cinema and culture, arguing that the male gender causes and benefits from sexually-oriented associations (Oskamp 136). Additionally, others argue that like sex, gender is a social constriction of the society that is put into place to harm everyone, men included, with feminists seeking to liberate the rights of women from the clutches of control that is held by men. Feminists, however, can either be men or women, having the idea that women have equal rights as men in society.

There are four different types of feminists: the Marxists, the radicals, the liberals and the dual-system feminists. Each of these groups responds differently to women and their cries of oppression, positing different causes of action and resolutions to the occurrence of male chauvinisms. According to the radical feminists, the oppression of women results from the inclusion of systems of patriarchy in the relationship between men and women, with men dominating women and wielding their power as a means of control. According to the Marxists, the analysis of feminism results from the capitalistic systems of oppression, with the domination that is wielded by men resulting from their seemingly superior position in the labor market. Liberal feminists, on the other hand, believe that they do not posit a system-be it patriarchic or capitalistic- and determining the oppression of women by men from the systems of prejudice and discrimination that have been embodied in the legal and social systems of life. Additionally, according to the dual-systems feminists’ theory, feminism can be explained as a representative of the coming together of both the Marxist and radical feminist theories, believing that the oppression of women is as a result of the complex articulation of both capitalism and patriarchy (Storey 136).

According to a study conducted by a British researcher, Jackie Stacey in her 1994 book, Star Gazing: Hollywood and Female Spectatorship, an analysis of women, most of whom are over 60 years old and belonging to the working class, reflects several responses that can be attributed to why women prefer to visit the cinema: escapism, consumerism, and identification. Stacey defines escapism as the major reason for women visiting the cinema, as they seek to avoid the realities of life and its hardships. Using textual utopian representations that are representative of this type of escape, Stacey makes the argument that most of the entertainment constructs that are used with cinema goers reveal a relationship of social problems that exist in women circles and the textual solutions that are offered by these cinemas.

Thus, the utopian relationship that is extended by these cinemas is a property of the above texts, extending the argument to include the social contexts of real life as well as the particular situations in which this entertainment is experienced. Thus, the visual and aural pleasure that is experienced by women from the cinemas is more than that which is experienced in real life, making their enjoyment an important part of their livelihood.

Reading Romance

There has been a claim that women, especially in the modern world that we are living in, that there involved in authoring and massive reading of romantic books. This has had a positive impact in the improvement of their family livelihood and also their sexual life and maintaining romance in their relationships. This writing of books and the massive involvement in supporting women in reading them has lead them to being open and speak out to their very current problems and all kinds of tension that they are facing in their lives. There has been a good number of people that have acknowledges that the reading of feminism books, magazines and other related narratives has significantly assisted in the resolving of their problems and tension (Storey 140).

However, the most common yet important topic on both books the readers of fantasies and the feminist readers is the dissatisfaction in a woman’s life. Their suffering in the forms and kind of relationships that they had was and their involvement with men was equated to the form of religious suffering. It at the very similar time that as these books try to equate their suffering look into an expression of their real life anguish and distress, the books at this position were in a position to teach and advice the women on how to object and outwardly confront of their problems, so that they can be able to be lead more healthy relationship lives. With the books being very educative and helpful to the women there a still some strings attached in the reading of the books. Not that the books are not good enough nor are the novels not recommendable to other women but the circumstance and contradictions that has lead into settling of this books are the primary responsibility for the very existence of the books. On the other hand he is also able to reach a point of appreciating the lessons, teaching and the instructions that come with the package of reading these kinds of books. There is also a notable admiration on how, from the younger girls in school to the elderly young ladies in the salon, will occasionally pose their busy schedules of important things to discus the on goings of their favorite soap opera. The lesson that follows after this is being advised to merely give the soap opera a chance in the woman’s life and appreciation the teaching that they come with. It is the high time that we need to completely stop opposing them and slowly to start integrating them (Storey 140).

With all this educative books, magazine and even a package of a movie as soap opera, the reading a material come with much more, that a woman will need to lead a comfortable life. It explores and looks into fashion, different genre of music, the stars of the horoscopes, the updates and the proceedings of soap opera, major and newly discovered recipes. These books will cover in details all sorts of an unending woman’s pleasure, which is very helpful in their day to day life.

Watching Dallas

This is an originality of an irony in this movie that was published in the Netherlands about thirty decades ago, Its context was well appreciated and absorbed with about 53% of the population in the country watching it, this emerged it with as one of the most successful selling. Though it also took a diverse turn over the years covering an extensive popularity to a point of souvenir stating their hate of the JR. with all the praising come criticism with it placing Jack Lang in a hard position since he saw it as the typical America Cultural imperialism. Dallas presented an obvious subjection of irony due to it sudden transformation from its main cause of a melodious drama to that exact reversal of that cause into a comedy of laughter (Storey 147).

This placed the viewers as the judges of the speech and act involved, and this involved them inverting the preferred statement which interpreted ironic comments and remarks. Soon into the industry it became the talk of the town, where all “bad” secrets were unveiled and the “dirty” games were discovered. It thrives into to the fact that it is a thrill of bad-pleasure that moves mass crowd and therefore satisfactorily settling for the film to be “smoking bad” (Storey 148). This made the viewers really enjoy the soap and having fun speaking anything about it. With all this criticism around the film the criticizers and mockers did also enjoy their share of fun and pleasure that came along with the movie without the exact sense of feeling guilty, since they know that for sure the mass culture is definitely bad. Although all this came with its difficulties and criticism there message that came with it was still very clear, enlightening and in its own way catching.

Reading Woman’s Magazines

Many of the guises of womanliness and feminism in most of the women’s magazines contribute in a major way as the secondary status and ranking from which they still desire and make efforts to free themselves from the teachings. As they take a lesson or two of a healthy living in relationships and the standards of living that they should maintain, without giving the rest of the world around us a chance to stoop us down, at the same time they enjoy the advice on the fashionable feminine dress. This is mainly the little but the most valuable pleasures of being a woman, and this is why they are mostly meant to catch the woman’s eye and not the man (Storey 154). They describe the rare material of a woman in their magazine, to give them a taste of different feminisms of now and the coming new future. This makes for feminists one of the most important issue in the women’s magazines will be the very many unusual raises is to how the women are taking over their feminine solid ground to create a new and different untrammeled metaphors of and for them.

A division of the major aim of the Inside Women’s Magazines is, to give a clear explain of the application and appliance of the magazine prescription and method and also to significantly consider and give judgment on its limitations and hindering margins and at the same time giving suggestions on the potential and chances of for change (Oskamp 155). Since their inception or on its commencement in the late eighteenth century, women’s magazines have been the only one that presents to its readers a several mixture of advice all the way to entertainment. Still on the contents of the magazine with a slight touch of politics in it, to keep the woman well informed on their surrounding, they strongly and continuously operate as the major survival manuals. Their information remains unchanged to the bases of their survival skills as a brand, they teach the same gospel to their readers with the same practical advice on the many special ways to survive through the particular cultures. The woman’s magazine may be many and different and the woman’s politics are tackled through many dimensions but one thing that does not change in all of them is the formula.

Race, Racism and Representation

Prejudice and discrimination reflect the way that human beings exercise their non-integrative power in their relationship with other people and how these qualities push them apart (Storey 167). It is ironic that prejudice and discrimination implies some sort of relationship between the perpetrators as they are bonded towards those that have the same feelings and inclinations as they do. This implies that, if these two human character traits are not present in society, then we would probably not notice some of the major differences between each one of us or the existence of a certain group. Accordingly, when people relate, even under negative conditions, then there is some form integration. This form of integration is bred through hatred, fear and the threat of a common enemy who exists to destroy a people as a group depending on their color, race, religion or political affiliation (Storey 167). This is depicted when one group holds negative stereotypes of another group that is different from them and subjects to discriminative and prejudicial treatment on the basis of these differences. Thus, even though prejudice and discrimination breeds disunity amongst people who are not in the same ethnic group, it also creates a sense of togetherness amongst people who see themselves as racially, religiously and ethnically the same.

Prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping against anyone because of any differences that may exist between you are a common thing especially in a world where there is free movement and settlement of people with different ethnic backgrounds, race, sex and religion. Today, racial discrimination and discrimination is one of the most common societal evils that affect how people relate to each other. Virtually everyone harbors some feelings of discrimination and prejudice against another person although they might not sometimes show it. Human beings are social animals and thus it is not surprising that they feel the need to stay in groups that make them feel safe since they share the same skin color, sex or ethnicity (Storey 167).

As is pointed out by Storey, there are three different aspects of race and racism that are inherent in the west: those that occurred around the time of slavery, colonial times as well as during the imperial reigns. Not surprising for such a controversial era in history, the body of literature that has been collected over time surrounding the African Slave Trade is immense and, in more ways than one, greatly overwhelming even for a novice historian. Commonly known as the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the Atlantic Slave Trade was a significant period in the history of the African people as they were sold to the colonies of the “New World” lasting from the 16th to the 19th Centuries (Oskamp 167). Most of those who were enslaved came from the West and Central regions of the continent and were taken to South and North America to aid in the labor intensive plantation farms and mining industries. As most would agree, it was a lucrative business.

The Ideology of Racism: Its Historical emergence

A slave that was purchased at the African coast for a few pounds could sell for a relatively higher amount at the American market. However, this begs the question: who instigated the growth of the slave trade, the local indigenous people or the foreigners? According to recent studies, it is safe to conclude that the indigenous people are as much to blame for the growth and development of the trade as the external visitors. Though the breadth of the information available is wide, especially so because of the plethora of political, cultural and anti-slavery movement analysis that are available, it is paramount that the real reasons for the growth and development of the trade be known as the historical documents from the perpetrators are made available to historians. this paper is designed to summarize the historiographical trends of the trade, while deeply analyzing some of the most important representative works that have been written in relation to this topic and which give clear indications of those trends (Storey 168).

Between the early sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, there were an estimated twelve million women, children and men of African origin who were forcibly removed from their homes and transported thousands of kilometers away, through the Atlantic Ocean, to work as slaves in America plantations and mines (Oskamp 169). Additionally, about seven million were displaced through the Sahara desert and the Indian Ocean as they were on their way to the market zones of West and Central Africa. The idea that these Africans walked quietly to servitude has always been fought against, raising serious humanitarian and moral questions in most intellectual circles. Still, there are those who question the apparent passivity and compliance of the compatriots who allowed this happen without raising alarm, sometimes participating in the sale of one of their own. Several works have been carried out in order to investigate the feelings of these people, with most of them expressing guilt about the inhumane practices of the Atlantic slave trade. However, the feelings of the Africans who participated in the trade have, in most times, not been properly explored, apart from immediate dismissal as “savages” in relation to their dimensions of collaboration. This essay seeks to offer a more balanced account of the events of the transatlantic trade by exploring the various reasons why the trade was beneficial to the indigenous African communities and external foreigners as well as projected volumes of the number of people that were sold as slaves during the trade (Oskamp 170).

According to notable history scholars, the estimates of Curtin on the purported exports from West Africa are erroneous and relatively low with revisions made from shipping data and national carrier. The author here wishes to quantify the number of slaves who were involved in the trade with new estimations expected to shift the distribution of the slave exports over a certain period of time rather than affecting the relative scale of the trade by more than 2-3 percent of the total. According to Inikori and Rawley, it is relatively hard to differentiate exports that were carried out by ships and those that were carried out by national carrier without the risk of double counting. currently, estimations of the number of slaves is done by means of a time period series, with each estimation challenging historians to examine the impacts of the trade on the indigenous people, as a means of testing the regional background of slave export as well as assessing the demographic, regional, political and economic consequences of the trade on the people (Nelson 480). As Curtin puts it, one of the major causes of the high number of deaths during the trade was the use of the defensive strategy that was aimed at protecting one’s loved ones from enslavement or deportation by seeking to redeem and rescue them after they had been captured. It is a difficult, dangerous process and often failed since it involved putting at risk the life of two instead of one. However, it rests upon the very human and universal principle that a person will protect their family and relatives from enslavement, even if it meant losing their own life in the process.

Orientalism

Orientalism is a manner of regularized writing through which is primarily dominated by the use of imperatives and ideological ideas that are seemingly suited for use in the orient. Thus said, Orientalism is the creation of an image of the west as a complete system of contemplation that is expressed in writing. This philosophy is based on the premises that it is incorrect for people from the west to try to imagine how life is like for other people in the east since life is typically different for these different types of people (Storey 171). Orientalism is thus an advantage of sorts that is crafted out of sophistry of the west against the east: since most people from the west cannot see things from the point-of-view of people from the east. These perspectives cannot be judged with regards to the actions of the Easterners as well as their imperative ethical and moral standards (Storey 171).

Accordingly, Orientalism is a form of racism that has turned a positive advantage of the particular race, color, group or nationality that is being discriminated against. This argument is borne out of the philosophy that people cannot judge others in a manner that they judge themselves- they must typically lower their standards for those oppressed (continuing to do so until the oppressed tells the oppressor to stop). The lowering of these standards for people from the orient thus creates a diabolical result, shuffling the challenges of the complete world order.

Works cited

Storey, John. Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: an introduction. Chicago, IL: Pearson Longman, 2008.

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