The majority of people in the modern world live according to the long-established rules which dictate the generally accepted ways of behavior, attitudes, world perception, and self-knowledge depending on cultural background. However, the overall development in human thought enhances the advancement in the framework of people’s understanding of the world around them. The issue of gender is one of the significant elements that define a person’s beliefs and worldview imposing some limitations to his or her boundless development.
While listening to the podcast, I thought that the way individuals treat each other in daily life is unconsciously marked by gender. However, not many people recognize it as a significant problem. According to the podcast, people with uncommon views of life are capable of making the change. The family interviewed in the program included an activist and a feminist, people who have strictly defined and specific attitude to life that enables them to be brave enough to confront common rules. The scientific approach that the parents applied to their daughter’s upbringing in an environment free of gender stereotypes empowered the child to grow in a necessary direction without any extra influences.
As for my personal childhood experience, I have been influenced by my family in the choice of toys, playground activities, and friends with whom I could spend time. I do not think the fact that my parents encouraged me to behave in a gender-appropriate manner imposed any limitations to my development. Nevertheless, now that I understand the dominant mechanism of gender-related influences in all spheres of life, people’s views on the issue seem bounded.
The information I got from the podcast has made a significant impact on my perception of possible ways of children’s upbringing. In my opinion, widening the boundaries and eliminating the limitations raised due to stereotypes will provide a lot of opportunities for my children. When interacting with them, I will do my best not to impose any gender-related expectations allowing them to develop in their unique ways.
In conclusion, it is difficult to eliminate stereotypical views of people on fundamental elements in life, such as family relationships or child upbringing. The modern developing world driven by change underlines the importance of uniqueness in all its manifestations. Being honest with oneself and trying to develop without any society-imposed boundaries are the features of a full personality capable of changing the world starting with themselves.
Human emotions seem to be one of the most complex concepts for understanding in the modern world. There are several reasons to support this statement, including existing prejudices, expectations, social norms, and relationships. Today, much attention is paid to the connection between gender and emotions and the necessity to clarify if it is correct to think that women are more emotional compared to men. In their empirical study, Jakupcak et al. found evidence to support the idea that emotionality depends on socialization, as a result of which men have to be less emotional compared to women (119).
This paper focuses on the discussion of this study and the development of new arguments to prove that it is high time to re-evaluate gender-emotion connection and stop defining women as more emotionally dependent individuals. People should not hide their emotions because of their genders in order to promote social and psychological stability. Although the findings by Jakupcak et al. have a reason, certain alternatives to understanding gender-emotion bonds must be developed through the prism of social expectations and prejudice, personal changes and the environment, and family education.
Social Expectations and Prejudice
One of the easiest ways to check the connection between gender and emotions is to ask a person who prefers to demonstrate their emotions in public, a man or a woman. In the majority of cases, the expected answer is usually the same – a woman. A similar position was introduced in the article “Masculinity and Emotionality: An Investigation of Men’s Primary and Secondary Emotional Responding,” written by Jakupcak, Salters, Gratz, and Roemer.
The authors used the concept of “gender socialization” to explain how social rules determine emotionality (Jakupcak et al. 113). In fact, as well as many people, I have frequently witnessed the necessity to adhere to such norms as “boys should not cry,” “be a man,” or “women and children first.” It is not expected from boys to hurt girls or for a woman to invite a man for a date. Even if such events happen, prejudiced opinions and attitudes are developed fast. Therefore, the position of Jakupcak et al. is easy to understand and accept because, despite their intentions to break the rules, people can never overcome the already established rules and traditions.
At the same time, in today’s world, social expectations undergo considerable changes that influence the way of how people treat their emotions. In his essay, Reiner asks one of the most provocative questions, “Why do we continue to limit the emotional lives of males when it serves no one?” (594). In everyday life, it is normal to observe a girl hitting a boy or a woman asking a man for a date. Social expectations can be easily broken, and people stop thinking about possible prejudices or concerns.
They do what they like or what they want, including the necessity to find a good job, earn a living, protect personal rights, and strive for justice. For that reason, I believe that gender should not be defined as a distinctive factor for emotionality anymore. Women have already proved themselves as strong individuals with an ability to defend their interests. Men, in their turn, are able to use their right to be emotionally weak, cry, or have doubts.
Personal Changes and the Environment
Another important factor to support the connection between gender and emotions is based on personal characteristics and the environment where people have to live. In the study under analysis, Jakupcak et al. explained men’s fear of emotion as the desire to remain everything in control and never lose composure (118). To support this position, new neurological research about the mechanisms related to sex-dependent emotional dysregulation was introduced by Gregoire. The author found that women were better prepared for emotional instability and could properly react to negative outcomes than men due to their brain activities (Gregoire).
In their turn, because of the gender roles, socialization, and the environment, men are afraid to demonstrate their emotions, make their brain work in another way, and change their personalities, following all the necessary masculine norms. In other words, both studies showed that men try to hide their emotions because of the environment where they live and neglect their neurological and psychological needs.
However, emotions demonstrated by women are the results of human reactions to negative or positive impacts on their lives, and it is necessary to stop considering emotionality as something negative or gender-based. On the one hand, I believe that physiological changes cannot be controlled and agree with Jakupcak et al. that masculinity is closely related to psychophysiological aspects of emotions (112).
On the other hand, I rely on my personal experience and observations when both males and females were ready to change their physiological qualities in order to meet their personal and emotional needs. In a world where technological progress, medical and surgical advances, and personal freedoms gain recognition, gender stereotypes in the environment and control of emotions have to be restructured. Therefore, it is normal to see a man crying or overreacting to some event, as well as a woman protecting her home or shooting a gun. Sex differences in emotions exist, and it is wrong to neglect them. However, the line between these differences becomes less visible because of the possibility to promote personal changes, choose the environment, and be free emotionally, physically, and socially.
Family Education and Development
The final area of support for the chosen statement is based on family and education that promotes human development. According to Jakupcak et al., masculine ideology is closely related to the beliefs and relationships between family members, peers, parents, and their incomes (114). I strongly accept the role of a family as a true and influential factor in child development. Parents have a number of opportunities to explain to their children what is right and what is wrong. Sometimes, families find it normal to follow social regulations and suppress emotions in boys because of high expectations or restricted behaviors (Reiner).
Jakupcak et al. used a variety of past studies to demonstrate how parents, teachers, and peers determine boys’ and men’s behaviors and make them less emotional compared to girls (111). Consequently, it is a family where first emotional restrictions and prejudices are born. Parents expect their male children to be strong and confident in order to protect their families and meet the already established qualities of a man. Female children, in their turn, are raised to be kind, supportive, and emotionally open to keep home, do the cleaning, and communicate.
To opposite the chosen position, it is important to underline that education in families and development offered by parents may vary. For example, there are many incomplete families where only mothers or fathers have to raise their children because of different social, personal, health, and other reasons. Instead of defining the conditions under which children in such families have to live, one should think if it is still normal for men to be less emotional and for women to demonstrate their emotions.
There are many other situations when men’s emotions have to be revealed, and women’s emotions should be restricted, and neither Jakupcak et al., Reiner, nor Gregoire can predict all the possible developments of such events. Emotions are neither good nor bad, and they have to be recognized by men and women so both can talk, be heard, and be understood (Reiner). Hence, from the point of view of family and development, it seems to be wrong to bind human emotions to their gender only.
Conclusion
In general, this discussion about gender stereotypes and human emotions helps to identify several important lessons. Many studies are based on the fact that individuals have to grow in different environments, provoking males to be strong, confident, and concerned because of their physiology and females to be kind and supportive because of their roles at home and in society. After reading the article by Jakupcak et al., I have to agree that the social context in which children develop and people live cannot be neglected. Society dictates its rules, and individuals try to follow them in order not to be segregated or misunderstood.
However, at the same time, I disagree with the authors because of their intentions to impose the role of gender on human emotions instead of searching for an alternative. I want to think that personal changes and family support can be enough for people, regardless of their gender, to stop hiding their emotions and never put socialization or someone’s expectation higher than personal needs.
Jakupcak, Matthew, et al. “Masculinity and Emotionality: An Investigation of Men’s Primary and Secondary Emotional Responding.” Sex Roles, vol. 49, no. 3/4, 2003, pp. 111-120.
Reiner, Andrew. “Teaching Men to Be Emotionally Honest.” They Say/I Say with Readings, edited by Cathy Birkenstein, et al., 4th ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2018, pp. 589-595.
Disney princesses are famous everywhere around the globe. The motion picture studios have made a great job in redesigning folk fairy tales and stories to create attractive images of damsels in distress and heroines. Snow White, Cinderella, and Ariel along with the rest of the princesses are extremely popular among little girls and in youth culture. The market of princess products is enormous and growing steadily with the appearance of new princesses. Nevertheless, parents and specialists hold heated discussions about the impact of Disney princesses on the development of children. The evolvement of the princess image in the films of the studio represents the developing position of strong independent women in the society, but the princess stereotypes can harm the mentality of children. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the gender stereotypes associated with the images of Disney princesses and discuss their negative and positive effects.
The Real Problem: Redesign of the Disney Princess Image
The recent redesign of the old and new Disney princesses shows an alarming tendency of standardization and sexualization of their images. The history of Disney princesses has begun in 1937 with the creation of the animated feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. From the 1930s till the present moment the image of Disney princesses has evolved showing the developing role of strong independent women in society (Johnson 4). Modern heroines like tomboy lass Merida or cool-headed Queen Elsa have little common with yielding Snow White serving seven dwarfs. The typical image of a housewife hiding behind the stone walls of her home from the outer world has changed gradually throughout the decades. The next princess, Cinderella, has supported Snow White fleeing from her house only to become the wife of a prince. Nevertheless, appearing in 1989, Ariel is first to break the rules of a traditional love theme film. She is eager to change her life and fights for her choice. Still, she sacrifices her voice for the love of a man what brings her closer to her older sisters than to the new generation of Disney princesses. The appearance of the red-headed Merida has been a groundbreaking event in the development of the princess image. In the animated feature film Brave, this Scottish lass openly resists all characteristics of a traditional Disney princess. She refuses to act reverently to the men around her, and she likes to travel around rather than wait in a tower for her prince. She tears a beautiful dress because it is inconvenient to shoot a bow in it.
Moreover, she refuses to marry, fighting for her freedom. In her article Girls on Film: The Real Problem with the Disney Princess Brand, Monika Bartyzel writes about the turnaround of this rebellious girl to the classical sexualized image of a princess. According to Bartyzel, “Disney’s redesign of the character tamed her unruly hair, expanded her breasts, shrank her waist, enlarged her eyes, plastered on makeup, pulled her (now-glittering) dress off her shoulders, and morphed her defiant posture into a come-hither pose” (3). The new-look of Merida contradicts not only her appearance in the animated film and the intentions of her creators at Pixar, but it turns around the decades-long development of the Disney princess image. This alarming change has also touched upon all other princesses. Along with the picture of Merida, Disney has presented the redesigned version of the Princess line. The images of all girls are sexualized and aligned to look alike. All princesses have plump lips, soft features, and unrealistic figures, while their dresses are excessively colorful and unsuitable for wearing in real-life conditions. The change is closely connected with the development of the princess products market. Disney makes big profits on the Princess line, selling toys, accessories, costume jewelry, and dresses to little girls fascinated by the glittering look of classical damsels in distress. According to Stover, “Disney princesses have often come under attack for promoting harmful, unrealistic body types and the narrow ideal of marriage as the happiest of endings for young women” (30). Pixar has shown the path to create strong and appealing women characters with realistic aspirations, but Disney is unwilling to follow the example.
Turning Feminist Disney Critique on its Head
Feminists often critique Disney films about princesses for their influence on the development of girls and young women all over the world. The development of the princess image is seen as a shift from one set of stereotypes to another. Stover claims that “Disney princess is repackaged and resold to its consumer decades after the film’s release, allowing endless readings by audiences” (39). Nevertheless, Disney has produced animated feature films that can have a positive impact on the development of girls and young women. Alice Adventures in Wonderland can serve a specific example of a motion picture that inspires girls to look for adventures, use their creativity, and act against the rules accepted by the majority. Appearing in 1951, even before The Sleeping Beauty, Alice contradicts the image of a classical Disney princess. According to Gordon, “Disney princesses are often over-sexualized, married at a young age and her entire existence is revolved around a prince”. Alice has none of these characteristics. The plot of Alice Adventures in Wonderland revolves around a curious girl who wants to see the world and to explore its mysteries. She finds her own path that leads into a rabbit hole. She overcomes different obstacles without waiting for a man to save her. The adventures of Alice is a good example of a film that shows a strong female character. Along with the Princess line, Disney has produced animated motion pictures introducing different views on women in society.
Discussion
The recent turnover of Disney princesses to the classic sexualized image is alarming. Throughout the decade’s animated motion picture studios developed the appearance and characteristics of princesses to meet the role of women in society. Strong independent characters such as Mulan or Merida have shown the change in the representation of women. These girls have their own realistic aspirations and act on their own accord without waiting for men to rescue them. The recent redesign of the Princess line makes all the characters look the same according to the classical oversexualized image. Admittedly, Disney produces animated films that introduce different female characters. Alice Adventures in Wonderland is a prominent example of a plot that revolves around a girl and not around her search for a man. Nevertheless, Disney never advertises such films to such an extent as the Princess line. The princess products market continues to grow steadily, and the company seems not to be interested in changing its position about the princess image.
Conclusion
People often criticize Disney for turning little girls into princesses who think only about glittering dresses and princes on white horses. Throughout the decades, female characters have changed their appearance in the animated moving pictures. Modern heroines like Merida or Elsa show independent spirit and strength in the face of all obstacles. Nevertheless, Disney has redesigned the image of all princesses to look alike according to the classical sexualized image. This action supports the growth of the princess products market. Disney has films that represent different kinds of female characters like Alice in Wonderland. Nevertheless, the impact of the Princess line is significant as it is more advertised.
Gordon, Christine. “Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum: Turning Feminist Disney Critique on its Head.” New Views on Gender, vol. 15, 2015, pp. 78-82.
Johnson, Rachael Michelle. “The Evolution of Disney Princesses and their Effect on Body Image, Gender Roles, and the Portrayal of Love.” Educational Specialist, Web.
Stover, Cassandra. “Damsels and Heroines: The Conundrum of the Post-Feminist Disney Princess.” LUX: A Journal of Transdisciplinary Writing and Research from Claremont Graduate University, vol. 2, no.1, 2013, pp. 29-40.
The article by Matlin depicted the various forms in which serotypes are formed. The main focus, however, was on the formation of stereotypes through the social cognitive approach. According to this theory, there exists a relationship between the cognitive processes of the brain and the beliefs that the individual leans and takes up according to his or her upbringing.
The existence of the concept of stereotypes tends to hamper our cognitive processes making it inaccurate. These inaccuracies can be created in the form of gender polarization, different expectations based on gender as well as the fact that people tend to remember information based on gender. Gender polarization takes form when the individual divides people into the categories of t male and female. When this happens, the individual tends to see everything in the environment as either being a male or a female. As a result, the individual also starts to have different expectations from the male and the females, whereby prescribing their specific roles in society. Form amongst these two categories, the individual is more likely to see the male as a norm, making the female a disparity from the norm. However, this categorization enables the individual to remember gender-consistent information more aptly than gender inconsistent information.
The media tends to encourage the divide between the genders and the stereotypes. This can be represented by the fact that women are normally underrepresented in the media, regardless of the genre. The male is again represented here as a dominant party. Females are also more likely to be used and depicted in the media for decorative purposes than men. The female body is usually put forward as a temptation and attraction for the audience. The males are usually represented in a matter-of-fact manner. Aside from this, the males and the females are also shown in the media as conducting and carrying out different activities. The men are usually shown as the ones working out of the house and making the important decision of life. The media targeted towards men tends to be focused on long-term objectives and goals like career planning, education, and independence, while the media being targeted towards females usually is focused on improving self appearance. Moreover, women of color are represented in a more biased manner than white females. Black women are usually shown as being very voluptuous and decorative items, while Asian, Hispanics as well as Native American women are usually not even depicted in magazines.
The most compelling discussion in the article was that concerning the representation of the different genders in the media. It actually tends to open one’s mind to the obvious, which we normally do not register in our lives. Prior to reading the article, however, I was aware of certain issues pertaining to gender stereotypes. This mostly dealt with the ability of the society to form different roles and expectancies for the males and the females.
Through the article, I was able to learn the different statistics about gender inequality and stereotypes in both the media as well individuals tend to think and perform their cognitive information processing. However, I would like to research and get access to more information pertaining to how people think and why they form stereotypes in the first place. I would want to conduct research pertaining to the fact that does the tendency to form gender stereotypes gets triggered by our upbringing and home environment, or is it a personal option.
References
Matlin, W.M., Bimbos and Rambos: The Cognitive Basis of Gender Stereotypes, SUNY at Geneseo.
Terry, W.S., (2005), Learning and Memory: Basic Principles, Processes, and Procedures, Ed: 3, Publisher: Allyn & Bacon, ISBN-10: 032127377X
The article by Dr. Stacy Smith discusses gender stereotyping of women in roles assigned in films and television, with regards to children programs. The author expresses concern on the intentional misrepresentation of women as lesser members of the society who should be given minor roles in films and television.
The author is not happy with the continuous action of the society to paint a picture of women as inferior and mere objects sexual gratification. From the four studies by Dr. Stacy Smith, the author is unfortunate that despite the fact that population of men and women is equal, the womenfolk, the society is not really to accept this equality in assigning roles, even when a female actor is more efficient.
The surprise
The most surprising thing is that women are portrayed in films that are meant for children as passive objects of hyper sexuality despite taking up the same portion of the population as their male counterparts. From the four studies, the findings reveal that female in the film industry as treated in the same way; lesser beings who are only suitable for smaller or support roles.
Apparently, there is a very open imbalance in the number of single speaking women personalities as compared to the number of males assigned the same role. Apparently, very few female actions have managed to break the glass ceiling phenomenon. The Glass Ceiling Phenomenon refers to the invisible forces that make it very difficult for women to be given leading roles in the films industry in general, despite having outstanding achievements and qualifications.
Regardless of the existence of different channels of countering this misrepresentation, the phenomenon is still operational and continues to bar women from getting the leading actor role in films targeting children. Despite existence of many agencies promoting equality and equity among the male and female actors, the number of women to men occupying the leading role in films is within the ratio of 1:3, despite having similar or even higher qualifications.
Gender imbalance enables the author to articulate her ideas in the article to summarize gender orientation and eliminate the egotistic nature of most human beings. This balanced state of mind is known to warrant that wholesome creativity and facts important for individual functionality.
What is confusing?
The self regulating society offers a facilitated explanation for common support on gender imbalance as a fundamental ruler of perception on doctrines of its members in the films targeting children. The author is intrinsic on the above idea and is consistent in exploring possible reasons behind specific antagonist and protagonist inclination of different characters.
Based on this argument, it is clear that unfulfilled desires stop proactive thought arrangement that is often responsible for aligning beliefs to realities of life, especially when the point of disagreement is of gender nature. Gender understanding of life varies from different backgrounds. Gender disparity between males and females are connected by a delicate balance between societal inclination and nature.
The author is of the opinion that only an androgynous mind could be fully creative in thoughts, as it allows freedom of the mind of any restriction or inhibition that gender stereotypes laid upon the development of a unique personality which could express itself freely. In her view, androgyny is not the absence of gender but rather gender unconsciousness.
One can argue that there are three major social issues plaguing America’s youth, and these are cyberbullying, addictive behaviors, and teen suicide. It is interesting to note that all these problems share common ground as indirect outcomes of how teenagers view themselves either through media representations or peer pressure. At the heart of the matter is an invisible process of shaping identities, expectations, and behavioral outcomes through male and female stereotypes. It is critically important to redefine gender concepts in order to stop the current social decline, as evidenced by the significant increase in the number of victims of violent and desperate behavior as a consequence of poor self-image. It is imperative to confront the careless use of male and female stereotypes in order to preserve decency, community, and the lives of children and teenagers.
Where is our society headed?
In the absence of an effective intervention strategy, the statistics on teen suicide, violent deaths, and addictive behaviors will continue to rise unabated. In a film entitled The Mask You Live In, the producers were able to focus the spotlight on the destructive impact of false gender conceptualization (Newsom, 2011b). The film’s purpose is to document how popular culture and mainstream media are shaping a boy’s worldview when it comes to socially accepted behavior in a world of men. It was a disheartening occasion for the viewer who valued the importance of respect and honesty, seeing images of adults pressuring boys and teenagers to disconnect from their emotions (Newsom, 2011b). Viewing the film was not a pleasant experience for those who are opposed to the practice of objectifying or degrading women. Nonetheless, the production team was able to capture the ugly truth of how boys are unconsciously trained to adopt values that are counterproductive in the long run. These young and impressionable minds were forced to accept lies about their gender.
In answering the question as to the path created by these false ideas, consider the glorification of violence as an integral part of America’s masculine culture. As a consequence, young boys and teenagers are prone to using aggression and excessive force as tools in dealing with conflicts. Men are also subconsciously trained to perceive women as mere objects that they can use. Thus, the evening news and news articles are filled with stories of sexual assault and sexual harassment cases. This is the slippery path that this particular society will fall into if a counter-movement is not initiated soon. Nonetheless, there is hope for change.
Is it too late for change?
It is too early to raise the white flag and surrender the struggle, allowing the status quo to permeate the still unblemished parts of American society. Nevertheless, it is not difficult to understand why many people are thinking of giving up. In a film entitled Miss Representation, another project that was written and directed by Jennifer Newsom, the producers peeled back the covers to reveal how America’s mainstream media developed a persuasive message saying that a woman’s value and power is limited to her external appearance, youthful looks, and how attractive she is to the opposite sex (2011a). Those who are going to make a stand and make a commitment to transform this current mode of thinking are up against formidable foes, such as, the titans of the movie industry and the captains of advertising agencies, because these leaders are going to sell their products at the expense of women. These are formidable opponents. However, it is not wise to give in and give up.
It is not too late to change because of the contributions of Jennifer Newsom and people who shared the same personal values. The said filmmaker graduated with honors from the prestigious Stanford University and the equally famous Stanford Graduate School of Business. Her academic background assures her of corporate riches, and yet she decided to use her skills to make a difference in the lives of women and children. In her films, one can observe the participation of influential women known all over the world as leaders in the field of politics, mass media, and business. They inspire ordinary people to take up the challenge and do something to change the status quo.
What are we going to do?
It is high time to confront the destructive practice of shaping worldviews through male and female stereotypes. However, improve the probability of success by arming the attack with intelligent strategies. One of the pragmatic ways to change the minds of people is to educate them and reveal to them how films, advertising campaigns, and mainstream media are shaping their core values when it comes to the way they perceive men and women. A good example was the project sponsored by a social media entity popularly known as BuzzFeed. In the said endeavor, four women were given a chance to undergo a professional makeover, and this process required the application of skills from makeup artists and photoshop experts (Gilkey, 2014). Through this project, young women received a powerful education with regard to how the mass media use tools and tricks to create fantasies. In other words, people are now aware of the truth behind the glossy magazine covers.
It is also a sign of an effective strategy to widen the base of support and encourage the participation of men and women from all walks of life. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is to use humor in the presentation of an inherently serious message. In a video shared through an alternative media site, serious topics like women’s ideal weight and body-hugging clothes were reduced to humorous lines, such as, “all that I am don’t fit prettily in polyester and spandex” and wanting to be a vampire in order not to see the flaws on the mirror’s reflection (Warren, 2013). Humor draws people in and ensures a wider reception of the intended message.
Conclusion
America is headed into an era filled with the stories of the broken lives of young boys and young girls as a result of violent confrontations, brutal murders, teen suicide, drug addiction, and fragile self-esteem if no one dares to confront the careless use of gender stereotypes. There is still time to turn things around, as evidenced by projects, films, and alternative media presentations exposing the truth behind the subconscious shaping of minds and identities through mass media and peer pressure. However, it is best to confront the current mode of thinking and unmask the evil consequences of male and female stereotypes through intelligent methods. It is prudent to use well-crafted strategies that are also enhanced by humor in order to ensure a wider reception of the intended message.
References
Gilkey, M. (2014). Makeover of their dreams … and then hate the results [Video file]. Web.
Newsom, J. (Director). (2011a). Miss representation [Video file]. Web.
Newsom, J. (Director). (2011b). The mask you live in [Video file]. Web.
Warren, R. (2013). Watch these 4 girls destroy the female stereotypes like the monsters they are [Video file]. Web.
This report is about my interview with Dalal Al Rabbah. Dalal is a woman who defied all stereotypes and joined the police, where she has excelled even better than men colleagues. She is a good example of women who have believed in themselves and gone ahead to defeat societal prejudice and stereotypes. She is also a good example of women who chose a career path due to childhood related to gender discrimination. As a policewoman, Dalal has fought for the rights of women and mankind in general. She is a woman who has embraced her potential and has been able to do great things despite social expectations or stipulations.
Dalal was a perfect choice for this kind of interview. The interview was meant to reveal how real women within my reach have been able to deal with gender-based discrimination or prejudice. Gender discrimination has been a tricky issue across history, with women being the biggest losers.
Dalal’s cases compared to many cases of discrimination against women as exemplified in the many readings I have come across. Further, the case compares perfectly to other cases of women empowerment efforts based on personal will and charisma. Whenever women choose to come out and prove that they can, just by using their potential, they leave an indelible mark on society. When women continue to be disfranchised and systematically relegated to mediocrity, society suffers greatly (Rhode 308).
Economic disfranchisement is a tool society has used to discriminate and oppress women across time. The women are told that they are not capable and should wait for men to provide food, shelter, protection, and safety. Women are continuously told that they cannot or do not have the capacity for many of the things that men are capable of. These situations, as Dalal’s case shows, have to be challenged. Women have all that they need to challenge discriminatory tendencies in society. However, to be able to challenge the status quo, they need more than just willingness. Women need a passion to succeed, to be of influence, and to make a difference in the daily living of their loved ones.
If women do not come out fighting and exerting their presence positively, men continue to imagine that they are kings and women their subjects. Some men tend to think that women are and always remain childish and immature. This is the reason why they tend to dictate, to be overprotective, and to be very inconsiderate when dealing with women.
According to studies, gender discrimination has continued to pervade social attitudes. Despite taking on different colors or guises, gender discrimination remains one of the ills that society has to deal with. As a result of gender discrimination, economies and people’s lives are shattered. Due to more huddles women face in accessing employment, political participation space, access to health care, and the general afflictions like wife battering perpetuated by discriminatory gender attitudes, poverty in many societies are sustained (Rhode 161). When it comes to the job markets, women who have landed in jobs tend to earn much less than their male counterparts. Gender-based Salary and wage discrepancies and lack of full inclusion of women in economic and political concerns affect the general output of a nation and world at large.
The participation of women in the job market is limited by given stereotypes. People tend to believe that women can not do given kinds of jobs or have to be protected by men. This kind of attitude leads to women not being offered educational opportunities in a given field. When they are offered opportunities, say in engineering, getting jobs is hard as no one believes they can do the jobs just as well as men can. If they get employed, women face enormous workplace discrimination. If there are two good employees, i.e., male and female, the male employees are more likely to receive a promotion than the female employee. Women are not often easily offered management positions. In some settings, it is still awkward to imagine a woman in a managerial position. People think or believe the only job women are good at is in the kitchen, doing housework, or front office.
Dalal was a good case to interview to understand gender discrimination intrigues. Gender discrimination begins in the family. Immediately a child is born, gender prescriptions frame how others treat him or her. From childhood, the boy is told to be strong and firm while the girl is encouraged towards being weakly or frail (Shaarawi 17). Despite some girls being muscular and generally strong, they are encouraged to behave submissively as per societal expectations. This was the scenario Dalal faced as a young girl. The important people in her life were keen on showing her that she is weak and can not afford independence in life. Her brother was her greatest antagonist. He was always putting her down or deriding her, which led to her becoming rebellious against the status quo. The brother exhibited male chauvinism in all its guises. His over-protectiveness and attitude were pegged on the idea that Dalal was a woman and dependent. She could not take care of herself and needed protection.
This went on until she was able to get passionate enough. She chose to disapprove of them and has led a life of an actualizing woman. She is a police officer, but she has not lost her femininity.
Interview
In the interview, I asked Dalal five questions to which she responded willingly.
How did you get interested in women’s issues?
Dalal had a doting father and a very good brother. However, the brother had an attitude toward women. According to Dalal, the brother treated her like someone who had no capacity of her own. According to Dalal, it is her father who in-calculated in her sense of gender equality. It is her father who helped her appreciate how important gender equality is. From the way her father treated her and the encouragement she received from him at a tender age, she learned to stand up to men and demand her rights or acknowledge her freedom as an individual. Dalal chides that many women in Kuwait have not been able to stand up for their rights. They have fallen to the status quo rather than fighting for their rights. These women’s rights are trampled on because they can not speak for themselves. They are generally not able to do the things they would love to do and live as they desire to live due to succumbing to gender prejudice. According to Dalal, it is high time women stood up for what they believe in and their rights as individuals in society. She cited parliament and indicated that some improvements have been going on on that front. However, in her opinion, women’s empowerment has to happen in all fields of life and sectors of the economy.
As an individual, joining the police academy made a big difference. She sees it as an opportunity she got to contribute towards gender equity in Kuwait society. She argues that having gone to the police force, dealt with the guns, and participated in all the hard physical exercises convinced her that women are capable of whatsoever those men can do.
Who helped you towards getting involved with women’s rights?
In answer to the second question asked, Dalal indicated that although she does not qualify as a political activist towards gender parity, she considers herself as being an example other women can emulate and change their fortunes in society. She points out that, as an individual, she is committed to the idea of improving her society. She also believes that Kuwait women are smart, successful, and can protect Kuwait just as well or as much as the men can.
The greatest support for her belief in gender equality or equity came from her doting father. She recounts that her father supported her efforts and stood against all those who were opposed to her joining the police academy. He encouraged her and demanded that she follows her heart, leading to her joining the police force. The support from her father carried her against the tide leading to her becoming a police officer.
Who tried to stop you from getting involved with women’s rights?
For Dalal, her greatest detractor was her brother Rabea. She recounts that Rabea tried all means to stop her from joining the police academy. She also recounts that her brother had a poor attitude towards women from early childhood. He always tried to convince her that women were not like men. For Rabea, women do not have as much mental capacity as men. Secondly, Rabea believed that women are physically weak and can not afford to lead an independent life. Rabea’s attitude and behavior challenged Dalal. She wanted to prove her brother wrong. She wanted to join the police force and proof to her brother and others that women can carry guns but remain feminine. Dalal reports that Rabea was very critical about her ways, especially dressing code. He severely cut her clothes to pieces and went as far as trying to forcefully get her married.
Were you ever afraid of what might happen as a result of what you said or do on behalf of women– and did something bad happen or everything went fine?
Dalal reports that she had never been afraid of voicing her concerns, especially where her rights were concerned. However, when she decided to join the police force, she was somehow afraid of what her brother would think. She did not worry about her father because of his strong personality and never allowed the brother to control her life. The biggest fear was that Rabea would successfully try and change her father’s mind on the idea of joining the police academy.
When you think of yourself in the present, how do you remember yourself before you became involved in women’s issues, and what do you expect your life and Kuwaiti society to be like in the future?
What Dalal likes about herself is that she is one woman who realized for herself what she wants in life. Her interest was to help improve society and demonstrated that women are just as good as men. Her greatest desire was to disapprove of her brother’s chauvinistic attitude and tendencies. All her life, especially after entering the police academy, she recalls that she used to argue a lot about her rights as an individual. The driving passion for her exploits was pegged on wanting to get as much privilege as her brother got. She desires that all women come to realize the importance of gender equality. According to her, life is generally full of challenges, but all individuals, men, and women should fight and become what they want. She is happy because more women in Kuwait are currently more willing to become something in society. What is needed, according to her, is that the women continue supporting each other towards reaching their desired goals in life.
Interview Analysis
Dalal’s background is a very good example of typical families.
In most families, boys have been trained by society to believe that they are superior and thus should be overprotective and domineering towards girls. Dalal was lucky because she had a supportive father who helped her realize that she can be as good as the men. Some girls are very unlucky because they are born in families where every male family member is like Rabea. They have chauvinistic tendencies and treat the girls as if they have no mind or capacity that is of any worth. For such girls, growing up to start appreciating gender equality can be very tricky.
All girls need support to realize that they are just as good as the men, even better than many of them in many aspects. It is only with the support that the girls will realize the worth of fighting for their rights. As Dalal points out, many girls around the world do not know how to stand up for what they believe in. it is worth noting that the scenario is highly attributable to a lack of enough supporting structures. Dalal found support in her father; however, support for women has to be institutionalized. Institutionalization of girl child empowerment efforts makes girl child support more sustainable and long term.
When girls are given the support they need, they will realize that it is what going after what they believe in their heart of hearts. Secondly, women have to realize that they are as free as they choose to be. Despite social structures pinning them down, believing in their freedom, they can fight for what is rightfully theirs. A majority of the women have to be helped to realize that they actually can speak for themselves.
Dalal notes that some changes have already started taking shape through initiatives in parliament. However, there is a need to cast the net wider and to institute nationwide initiatives that support women in all fields and areas of life. A holistic approach to women’s emancipation is very important. When women in all areas are emancipated, the result is more pronounced than if emancipation is only happening, say in the legislature.
Gender and Jobs
Women have been continually discriminated against based on being incapable of given jobs. Women like Dalal show clearly that women are capable of doing virtually any job as long as they put their mind to it. As she narrates, her going into the police force, handling guns perfectly, and doing the hard physical exercises should encourage women to believe in their capacity to do any job there is.
Sometimes it is argued that women can not do jobs that require a lot of muscular strength. It is also often said that women could not do sweaty jobs because they lack the strength, flexibility, and stamina necessary for such. All these allegations are false. Women who have gone out and chosen to do the best with their ability have excelled. It has to be noted that just as there are muscular men, so there are muscular women. A woman can also have as much stamina, as much flexibility, and as much determination as a man. Women have the heart and can face any situation, as the likes of Dalal have shown. As a police officer, she has to deal with all sorts of challenges. Police officers are there to handle hardcore criminals, deal with emergencies, and help in disasters. Some disaster scenes can be horrific, but the women of Dalal’s caliber have proved that it is all possible; women can handle any situation. They can also fix tires, go under the vehicle, and fix problems and can also hold managerial positions.
Women Rights Activism
Something is interesting that Dalal says. She acknowledges that she is neither a great feminist nor renowned political woman rights activist. However, she reckons that she is a good example that can be followed by other women. This is an important point to note. Sometimes, women’s rights activists tend to miss the point. They make a lot of noise about gender inequality, but they take no proactive efforts that can make a difference. Most women are held in bondage because of fears. They fear for their lives, should they by any chance go against the status quo. What these women need is a demonstration that one can reclaim freedom and fight for her heart’s desires. Women like Dalal are a perfect example of a proactive approach to issues of gender inequality. She did not just speak about her rights as an individual; she took actions that demonstrated her belief in gender equality.
What political women rights activists do is very important and remarkable. They help highlight gender-based injustice in society. They fight for the right of individual women when disfranchised, which is very noble. The socio-political blocks to women’s emancipation have to be addressed (Rhode 63). Public institutions have to serve all people with equity and justice. If they discriminate against women, the approach of women rights activists works just fine. They help make the public aware of ongoing injustice. They force government agencies and other groups to focus on certain discrepancies in the system that disfranchise women. These efforts by political women rights activists are welcome and should be sustained.
However, individual women in themselves have to be helped to own up to the struggle. The individual women can be helped to own up and play their game if the element of demonstration through personal effort is infused into the whole emancipation campaign. Probably, women’s rights activist and fellow women can borrow a leaf from Dalal’s approach. Rather than waste a lot of money and resources in forums that only focus on blaming men, fellow women should be sensitized towards proving their worth. They should face the challenges that they fear most; let them choose to go against the grain by following their heart’s desires and doing all that is in their capacity (Kipnis & Herron 186). If more women can come out like Dalal and choose to prove their worth, the fight for gender parity will be won even more easily.
Biggest Barrier to Gender Equality
The interview with Dalal points out a very interesting fact. There are many barriers to gender parity in society, but the primary one is the attitude of loved ones or close family members. From Dalal’s story, it is clear that family members determine what becomes of an individual. Dalal’s sense of gender equality developed as a result of her father’s encouragement. Her father always encouraged her to stand up to the men. He defended her against her brother and encouraged her when she chose to go against the grain.
Rabea was not a cruel individual. In an actual sense, Rabea represents all the loving and doting family members that all girl children grow up with. The only problem with Rabea is that he had internalized the attitudes and beliefs about women from his society. He loved his sister and wanted her to be like the rest. He wanted her to be as successful as society expected. Societal expectations are that a girl grows up gracefully to become the wife of someone. Dalal reports that Rabea did cut her clothes on several occasions. I am sure this he did with the belief that the clothes were not good enough for her sister. Her sister had to be a decent woman, very presentable in society. In Rabea’s view, most likely, his actions were driven by his great love for a sister who was getting spoiled. Of course, for Dalal, Rabea’s actions must have been cruel and largely unacceptable.
From Dalal’s story, it is clear that the loving actions of family members could be the biggest barrier to women’s emancipation. This issue is twofold, i.e., on the one hand, family members out of love denying women the chance to go after their heart’s desire. On the other hand, the issue consists of women, out of not wanting to hurt family, choosing to support the status quo, thus not following their dreams or standing up for their rights as individuals. People like to be liked and appreciated. When a girl meets societal expectations, of course, society likes and will appreciate her. If one is liked and appreciated in society, she experiences a few problems because she operates in a comfort zone. The challenge to the emancipation movement, therefore, is how to get the women out of their comfort zone. Many women accept the status quo and deride fellow women who choose to live otherwise (Kipnis & Herron, 184). In the status quo, there is comfort. One does not go against the wishes of family members like Rabea, and gender-based challenges or problems are treated just as normal and not worthy of addressing.
Dalal’s awakening started in her own family. On the one hand, she dared to risk hurting loving family members in pursuit of her interests, i.e., joining the police force. On the other hand, she had a loving father who encouraged her to follow her dreams. The two ingredients are very critical, i.e., support from others and personal initiative and passion. Girl children with passion and born of supportive parents often break the gender jinx and stereotypes to become the best that they can be.
What this points to is the poignant role of family relations in determining one’s attitude towards gender disparity. Within the home or family framework, women have to recognize the role of supporting girl children appreciate gender inequality or injustice as unacceptable. Dalal had her father, who helped her realize the need for parity. The father also helped her to keep moving on despite the challenges. Therefore, within the family, there should be seeds for change in women’s attitudes towards their rights.
Mothers have to be helped to change their attitudes. As Dalal advises, women (mothers) have to realize the importance of gender parity. Once the extent of gender imbalance and its effects are clear to them, they will find the fire that will enable them to stand up for their rights and fight for what they believe in. Dalal discovered gender imbalance due to her brother’s chauvinistic ways. Secondly, she noticed how society, in general, privileged men against women. This realization infused in her a passion for seeing change. She wanted to disapprove of her brother and the other entire chauvinist who doubted her ability to do whatsoever men are capable of. She wanted to have as many privileges as the men have in society. As she explains, social mobility is generally a challenge, and life is full of challenges. What is critical is how people choose to deal with the challenges. She believes that women in Kuwait are intelligent, smart, and capable. All they need is a willingness to become something in society.
Conclusion
The woman that I interviews is called Dalal al Rabbah. Dalal is a police officer, and her story epitomizes that of women who have defied gender discrimination and related attitudes to show that women can take charge and do all they want to do with themselves. Her career path was largely influenced by her experiences as a young child. The environment she grew in made her acutely conscious about her rights as an individual. Conscious of her rights, she also became very conscious about the rights of other individuals in society, especially fellow women. Although she has not involved herself in any political gender activism, she is a perfect example of a woman who stands and fights for gender equality head-on. She is worthy of emulating; she is a woman who moved out of the closet of the status quo and continuously sought to define her life paths as per her heart’s desires and aspirations.
Dalal and many others of her kind are contributing proactively towards gender equity. By choosing not to be put down by societal expectations, Dalal and women like her demonstrate that it is possible. They offer women examples for emulation. Their actions demonstrate both to fellow women and male chauvinists that political women’s rights activists do not just shout or tell phantom tales. The issues they raise are of practical import, and if addressed, society can benefit tenfold. They illustrate the fact that society has its role to play, but women as individuals have an equally important role of standing up and fighting for their rights.
Works Cited
Kipnis, Aaron, R., & Herron, Elizabeth. Gender War, Gender Peace: The Quest for Love and Justice between Women and Men. New York: Morrow, 1994.
Rhode, Deborah L. Justice, and Gender: Sex Discrimination and the Law. Harvard: Harvard University Press, 1991.
Shaarawi, Huda, & Badran, Margot. Harem Years: The Memoirs of an Egyptian Feminist (1879-1924). 5th Ed., New York: Feminist Press, 1987.
The latter topic “How gender stereotypes affect performance in female weightlifting” was chosen because it offers an in depth analysis of one of the major impediments to success in female sports i.e. gender identity. Body building or weightlifting was selected because it embodies the contradictions and tensions faced by women engaging in a male dominated sport especially since sporting activities tend to alter their physique. It will be insightful to find out how these struggles affect their performances and whether it prevents them from tapping their full potential within their chosen field.
Analysis of articles to be used in the analysis paper
In the book “Gender a social reader”, it is asserted that the female body has distinct cultural connotations associated with it. For example, most women have preference for an hourglass figure or one that possesses round hips and breasts; all symbols of fertility. (Jackson and Scott, 2002).
Through these assertions, it can be seen that an intensely muscled body or one that resembles the v-shape is synonymous to the male. In fact, even excessive muscles on males are treated with suspicion. This could be the reason why female bodybuilders are judged very harshly by society. However, the extent to which this judgment is reflected on their performance will be assessed subsequently in the Issue Analysis paper. In ‘Pumping steel 2’ (a film that one can use as a case study on how gender identities affect performance amongst female body builders) some judges in a female bodybuilding contest decide to settle for a moderately mascularized female to become the ultimate champion as they feel that excessive muscularity is unfeminine. One can therefore see that this decision reflected common perceptions among several stakeholders in the weightlifting industry and that the same is likely to occur in the future. This deters exceptional performance from the females.
Generally speaking, society considers the overly built female as a threat and that she needs to be ‘controlled’. The female body has often been a site of struggle from as early as weight building began. There is an ideal female form that women are supposed to conform to and those who fall outside this ideal image are often regarded as deviants – they may be denied chances of wining competitions thus making the sport rather confusing and their performances unpredictable. It is therefore likely that many women engaging in weight building do not know how far they can go because they are bogged down by two major constraints – safe femininity and aesthetic beauty. This was why the winner in ‘pumping steel’ had a very small waist, a highly proportional body, wore make up and was a smaller size. She was not the weightlifter who had engaged in the highest form of training, instead, she was the one who had some elements of traditional femininity such as make up and breasts. The latter film illustrates the level of unfairness in the sport. One would therefore be right to argue that women’s performance is drastically reduced owing to this gender stereotype of the ideal female.
In the book “Women of steel: female bodybuilders and the struggle for self definition”, the author Maria Lowe (1998) discusses what goes on in body building championships. Here, she talks about how audiences admire such female bodybuilders in the championships although it is expected that such ladies will retain their femininity through make up and their hair.
From these explanations, one can deduce that weightlifting is often governed by the male gender and that this is seen through their overrepresentation amongst the judging panel, sponsors, officials or even their coaches. Consequently, male expectations of the female body in this sport are usually carried forward into actual competitions. The latter sport is particularly interesting because it illustrates how radical types of women’s bodies are handled by various stakeholders. Besides this, there are certain concepts of femininity that are challenged in this sport and most of the time, the sporting participants have to pay the price for taking on such challenges through the rewards that they miss.
In fact, it can be argued that females respond to these notions by conforming to them thus reducing their chances of excelling at the sport. Since gender is not biologically determined but it is constructed culturally (Lowe, 1998) then there is a need for equal administration of these constructs. Nevertheless, the process of gender construction is rarely done on a level playing field. Instead, men have a greater knack to resist certain notions because of their ability to control economic, political and social realms of life. Women lack the resources to challenge stereotypes thus explaining why most of them tend to conform to them. This is the reason why weightlifting among females may be contradictory. Those women are often called deviant because society is simply looking for a way to deal with the stereotypes.
In their book “Gender and sport: a reader” authors Sheila Scraton and Anne Flintoff are quick to assert that women engaging in body building have to change their lifestyles in order to conform to ideal notions of femininity. A case study involving the experiences and struggles underwent by a successful body builder – Bev Francis indicated that such women have to possess an onstage persona. The latter competitor claimed that she used to wear loose outfits and covered up all her muscles in public however, during competitions or while out in the beach, she could wear more revealing attire. (Scraton and Flintoff, 2002) One can therefore say that this body builder along with other females was trying to avoid controversy or gender confusion that was associated with the muscles. It can further be said that such weightlifters want to be accepted as women in other realms of their lives and may therefore avoid taking part in a number of issues that may have put this identity under threat.
An analysis into these challenges reveals that in order to be accepted as feminine, then one has to state their gender vey clearly in weight building. Also, these women tend to engage in different practices that would affirm their femininity. In fact, such practices are even accepted in the rules of the sport. For instance, breast implants are allowed among women competitors yet any other surgical body alterations are not accepted. Besides that, it can also be seen that most female bodybuilders dedicate a lot of time and effort in making their bodies look the way weightlifters do, however, after this intense discipline, the irony of female weightlifting is that participants are prevented from enjoying the pleasures associated with glorification of achievers or performers in sports.
In the article “The female bodybuilder as a gender outlaw”, Shilling, Chris and Bunsell Tanya assert that female body builders tend to defy society’s understandings of what a woman is. In this regard, their physical appearance does not conform to accepted notions. Additionally, their strength and power also opposes these views and so do other manifestations associated with these individuals. (Shilling and Bunsell, 2009)
One can therefore affirm that several issues have contributed towards this notion of the female bodybuilders as outlaws. Firstly, the latter participants make conscious choices to take part in an activity that could alter their own as well as others’ perceptions of their bodies. Aside from that, the actions that they engage in during this sport are also seen as different and this affects their experiences. Consequently, weight building amongst women eventually causes biases or stigmatization of such participants.
There are several reasons that can motivate some women to engage in an activity that causes such strong reactions leading to the possibility of their being labeled as deviants. Some body builders assert that the endurance and discipline required to succeed in weight lifting make competition minimal and thus maximizes their chances of winning. Others claim that this sport is not as conventional as others and they therefore find it interesting. Others believe that weight lifting boosts their physiological functions thus boosting their fitness levels and making them healthier.
All these reasons are not synonymous to weightlifting alone as there are other sports that can achieve the same function. However, there is a peculiar reason that motivates women to engage in this sport: the need to challenge gender stereotypes. (Tanya and Bunsell, 2009) Such women feel that they are strong enough to be labeled as perverse. In fact, their experiences sometimes tend to be more than they had anticipated although most of them often choose to remain in this sport throughout. In this regard, such individuals do not form part of collective sentiments in society.
In her article “The female grotesque: risk excess and modernity”, Russo (1997) claims that quite often society uses animalistic traits to describe male bodybuilders and that these traits are actually treated as compliments. On the other hand, to apply the concept to females would be offensive because such a female will be regarded as having deviated into a male domain where people are admired for their power, size or even their strength. (Russo, 1997)
Consequently, one can declare that in order for one to be considered as a deviant then there needs to be the presence of a threat. In this case, society’s threat is the loss of gender boundaries. People therefore react to this threat by treating any person who falls outside rigid gender expectations in a negative way. It can also be argued that women are often marginalized and very few of them posses the ability to dictate what makes up feminine norms, nonetheless, this does not stop some females from exercising the little power that they have to resist rigid assumptions on gender. Some women may respond very radically by engaging in fights where they outdo their male counterparts. While such responses may further contribute to negative public perceptions, this does not change the fact that such females are making use of whatever little power they posses.
One can further affirm that beneath the labeling of the female athlete as being grotesque, there is still another connotation that can be associated with this kind of sporting activity. Persons who oppose such women are scared and fascinated by such women. This is because female body builders represent gender transgression and they continuously show that there is no such thing as a natural female order. In fact, female weight building demonstrates unending possibilities as to what women can become. It is not possible to eradicate these new perceptions as society cannot claim that physical femininity has its limitations because there will always be new possibilities.
Conclusion
The Issue analysis paper will look at how gender identity affects performance among female body builders. Women frequently struggle with gender identity in this sport as they represent a new phase of physical femininity. In such situations, judging and one’s ability to win can be determined by prevailing perceptions on what constitutes femininity. The articles reviewed have shown that most stakeholders in this industry frown upon excesses. The Analysis paper will therefore look at the reasons behind such labels, the experiences of such women and the results of their actions or their engagements in non typical sports such as weightlifting.
References
Russo, M. (1997). The Female Grotesque – Modernity, risk and excesses. NY : Routledge
Shilling, C. & Bunsell, T. (2009). The female bodybuilder as a gender outlaw. Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise 1(2): 141 – 159
Jackson, S. 7 Scott, S. (2002). Gender: a social reader. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Lowe, M. (1998). Women of steel: female bodybuilders and the struggle of self definition. NY : NYU press
Scraton, S. & Flintoff, A. (2002). Gender and Sports: A reader. New York: Routledge
The Change paper is a combination of all the recommendations that can be useful in dealing with the problem of gender stereotypes in weightlifting. As identified earlier in the issue analysis, a number of muscle building sportswomen rarely perform to their best because of the biases surrounding their sport. It will therefore be insightful to look into some of the solutions to these challenges.
Recommendations
Varga and Gammage (2008) realized that two important issues normally intertwine in order to affect society’s perceptions about a sport. In other words, even when a participant seems to be lacking in one aspect, then he/ she can make up for it through another dimension. This implies that for the case of female weightlifting, contestants are perceived negatively in terms of their physical appearance. The latter statement may seem very unfair but it is a harsh reality. Therefore, stakeholders in the weight building sport need to work their way around this stereotype and they can do this by empathizing with other non-physical aspects of the female weight builders. Here, promoters and announcers ought to bring out the endearing aspects of their personality. Also, the sportswomen themselves need to show how intelligent they are. Alongside this, they need to show the public that they are dedicated to excellence. This may help break the negative barriers that most people who are not familiar with the sport may have against it. However, such a strategy may not work amongst the stakeholders of the industry. There ought to be other approaches used in dealing with the stereotypes held by judges or sponsors in female weightlifting.
The media has a large role to play in sports as it is the platform against which cultural norms and values are created. Whenever a particular sport is supported by the media, then chances are that it will become endearing to the public and will be accepted and promoted. For example, the super bowl has become one of the biggest sporting events in the country and its players are often motivated to perform to their best in order to meet these high expectations. Fuyuan et al (2007) claimed that weightlifting among women has been sidelined by media outlets for a very long time. Even channels dedicated to sports alone rarely give it enough airplay. By marginalizing such a sport, then chances are that the public will keep finding it odd. Participants will keep being stereotyped and this is likely to discourage them from performing to their best. Consequently, there is a need to start taking a different approach towards the media.
One way in which this can be done is through injection of greater funding and sponsorship by weightlifting stakeholders. One cannot lay blame to the media without acknowledging the fact that they are a profit making industry. They tend to give greater airtime to sports that can meet their financial needs. It is therefore incumbent among female bodybuilding sponsors to take the initiative and spend more finances on various media platforms. They need to establish a give and take relationship between mainstream media and themselves. In other words, the media outlets can air their competitions and advertise upcoming events while female weightlifting stakeholders can pay for advertisements and also promote the overall well being of these media outlets. In so doing, the sports will become commonplace and may lessen the biases associated with it. This may attract more females into it and may also eliminate all the fear surrounding success in this sporting activity.
Slater (1996) claimed that times are changing and that more and more women are getting interested in male dominated sports. Consequently, this author feels that female weightlifting is an embodiment of progress in sports generally. This means that times are changing and that society now questions the passive role that it had historically placed women in. In other words, this denotes that there is hope for greater acceptance of female bodybuilding in the sports arena. Since culture is a transient, then certain aspects that were previously thought of as being unacceptable are gradually being accepted. The latter author therefore suggests that some of the stereotypes that have bogged down certain sports will slowly fade away.
The latter writing suggests ideological changes that may not be revolutionary in nature. In other words, without knowing it, society is slowly embracing different dimensions in sports and that this may progress with time. However, one cannot tell exactly when this is going to occur or at what point in time this may happen. Participants in female weightlifting, enthusiasts, sponsors, judges and financiers may have a very minimal role which they can play in affecting such a change. This is something that will happen naturally with time and society just needs to accept it as it occurs.
Upon analysis of the latter issues in depth, one can challenge these passive assertions by recognizing the fact that most changes in society have occurred through change agents. In this regard, people who understand the unfairness inherent in certain aspects of life have stood up and spoken against it or challenged those stereotypes. The same thing can occur in female weightlifting. A number of authors have written on the topic and they have internalized the challenges that female bodybuilders face. In this regard, they can talk about the respect that these sporting participants deserve especially in light of all the discipline and hard work that they put into it. Aside from that, change agents need to address the foundations of those stereotypes i.e. that such bodybuilders are less feminine. They could challenge this notion by asserting that gender and gender roles are transient and that new facets of femininity keep evolving everyday. They need to be embraced and understood without being written off immediately.
One of the biggest problems impeding success in female bodybuilding is the fear of discrimination associated with their unconventional physiques. (Duff et la, 2007). Therefore in order to help these women reach their greatest potential, then sports psychologists need to handle that fear. One way in which this can be done is by taking potential participants and actual participants in the sport through counseling sessions. Here, such women can be asked about their perceptions and opinions on the sport. More often than not, some of their fears tend to be exaggerated or the effects of those stereotypes tend to be blown out of proportion. Consequently, there may be a need to let these women know the actual facts on the grounds and what they can do in order to change those facts.
Duff et (2007) adds that most women in bodybuilding tend to be very enthusiastic about their sports because they want to receive positive attention for their bodies. Counselors can emphasize this aspect to female bodybuilders. They also need to encourage them to increase the intensity of their practices. (Mannie, 2005)
Conclusion
The major reason behind gender stereotypes in sports is culture and its understanding of femininity. Therefore to deal with this effectively, then change agents in the sport should play their role enthusiastically, counseling should be introduced and the media’s role in promoting the sport should be emphasized.
References
Drouin, B., Varga, H. & Gammage, K. (2008). The positive exerciser stereotype. Applied Biobehavioural Research journal 13 (3): 153
Salter, D. (1996). The tragedies and triumphs of women in sports. NY: Praeger
Duff, R., Hong, L. & Royce, S. (2007). Gender comparisons in weight training. Journal of Gender Issues 17 (1): 104
Mannie, K. (2005). On female strength training. NY: Springer link
Marie, H., Fuyuan, S. & Nan, Yu. (2007). The influence of gender participation and media on visual priming responses. Journal of sports and gender 14 (5): 79
It is known that the media, including films and cartoons, directly impact the viewer’s personality. Research shows that children who have been exposed to Walt Disney’s fairytale universe from an early age adopt some of the attitudes and manners that describes characters. This research focused on determining the impact of Disney Princesses on of preschool age girls in the context of the transmission of gender stereotypes (Golden and Jacoby 299). The results showed that the concept of princesses lacking leadership skills and seeking to avoid interfering with men has a severe impact on young girls’ personality.
The age division of project participants: 31 preschool age girls and 30 parents.
Ethnic diversity of girls
Audience
The likely target audience for this study is parents, women, and men who are interested in the positive gender development of their children. Nevertheless, the article informs people about the importance of developing critical thinking skills, therefore, not only parents may be interested in reading, but teachers, caregivers, and grandparents. This concludes that, although the article has a quite specific focus, it may be of interest to all categories of the population. Moreover, Disney, Inc.’s representatives can become a cohort of readers, as the study examines the effect of the company’s products. Perhaps, they could rethink the concept of princesses to give them more autonomy and confidence. The readers’ values are aimed at the harmonious development of children; such people probably predict the negative impact of princesses on the image of a girl, so they decide to study the issue through research further. On the other hand, they may be people for whom this article seems to be something completely unexpected and surprising, as they could not imagine such social effects.
Tone
This research has a unique feature that is usually difficult to perform in scientific articles — a combination of scientific work style with popular and accessible to an unskilled audience. This research’s scientific tone is to measure results quantitatively and qualitatively; while the literary review, coupled with a discussion of the results, is the most straightforward. This feature allows to highlight fragments from an article and place them in school textbooks, newspapers, or magazines to introduce the audience to the phenomenon of Disney Princesses.
Speakers
The authors of the study do not disclose their story, but the study’s focus suggests that women are interested in the psychological aspects of girls’ education. Independent search on authors allows to understand that they are American women working in the Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College. Among other scientific works, there is the only work by Jacoby devoted to early school education reforms.
Findings
The study showed that girls were adopting gender stereotypes about princesses and putting them into practice. Four stereotypical factors were identified: beauty, clothing, behavior, and boys.
Rhetorical Analysis
There are no doubts about the authenticity of the statements, because there is a logic of narration and supporting the opinions with statistical facts. First of all, the reader is invited to familiarize themselves with a small literary overview showing developments in the media’s degree of influence on the audience and especially children. Then, it is followed by a clear and concrete description of the experiment. Perhaps, this is the most attractive part of the study since the writing style evokes visual representations of the social experiment. Finally, there is a separate paragraph on the reliability of the results, eliminating elements of bias and subjectivity in the data. Quantitative metrics were statistically processed to determine the Pearson distribution: the data show a strong relationship between measurements and results.
Works Cited
Golden, Julia C., and Jennifer Wallace Jacoby. “Playing Princess: Preschool girls’ interpretations of gender stereotypes in Disney Princess Media.” Sex Roles, vol. 79, no. 5-6, 2018, pp. 299-313.
Kukreja, Jyoti. “Cartoons Cast an Eternal Impact on Personalities: Effects of Cartoons on Children.” Handbook of Research on Children’s Consumption of Digital Media, edited by Gülşah Sarı, IGI Global, 2019, pp. 369-379.
