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I set a goal for improving my critical thinking skills so that I could evaluate what I read more effectively. I would say I only partially achieved this goal. I chose blog post prompts that most reflected visual learning as that Is my strong suit. Therefore, while reading the assigned material throughout the course I was able to improve my critical thinking skills slightly by relating it to the material I was interested in, I did choose assignments that geared more towards my strength in visual learning.

While I didn’t add my own thoughts to the discussions on my peer’s posts, I did read through their blogs frequently to receive inspiration and gain insight into how they were approaching the course material. When forming my posts, I found this to be a useful guide. I also liked reading through the prompts that I did not choose and how my peers interpreted them. It helped me fully embrace and understand each and every module that we went through in this course.

When it came to writing blog posts, I had a hard time giving myself deadlines. The goal of this assignment was to demonstrate my ability to integrate the course material fully into my writing. Thus, one thing that helped me was to begin posts frequently but complete them slowly. Start writing, keep writing, revise, and publish. This allowed me some leeway, but more importantly, it offered me time to consider additional content for my writing. For example, in some of my posts where I included movies, these were movies that I have watched over the semester where I was able to pick out certain things that I could relate to the material. Such as the movie Grown Ups and how it contributed to our masculinity module.

I created this meme as I believe it reflects the ongoing crisis happening in North America to African American men and, in some cases, Indigenous men. As stated in our module, “one of the most significant features of white privilege is that those who experience it do not have to think about it.” This is clear in the United States. Epistemic privilege, the inability to perceive one’s privilege produced due to racial inequality, is evident in traffic stops across North America. As white people, we do not need to fear law enforcement and what happens to us when we are pulled over; the same cannot be said for every race.

While looking for a meme to create, I looked at specific news articles that inspired my interest. While it is most known for happening in the United States, it does happen in Canada. The City of Montreal commission released a report in 2019 that looked into traffic stops. Indigenous people and black people were four to five times more likely than white people to be stopped by police (Apollonio 2021). Also stated in a CBC article by Desmond Cole, a black activist, “White folks are benefiting from this violence because the police are here to protect white people and their property” (CBC Radio 2020). It is evident that there are significant issues with white privilege when it comes to law enforcement.

References

Apollonio, Mark.  (2021). I’m scared every day,” says Montreal driver stopped by police dozens of times. CBC Radio. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/docproject/i-m-scared-every-day-says-montreal-driver-stopped-by-police-dozens-of-times-1.5861706

CBC Radio. (2021). Police brutality continually treated like a “one-off” in Canada, says Desmond Cole.  CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-june-1-2020-1.5592953/police-brutality-continually-treated-like-a-one-off-in-canada-says-desmond-cole-1.5592954

What are some of the consequences of hegemonic masculinities and military discourse for men?

Not even a minute into “The Mask You Live In” is there an example of the way hegemonic masculinities are exemplified. “Be A Man” (0:26) and “Stop With The Tears, Stop With The Emotions” (0:29), and “If you are gonna be a man in this world, you better learn how to dominate, and control people and circumstances” (0:30). “We’ve constructed an idea of masculinity in the United States that doesn’t give young boys, a way to feel secure in their masculinity, so we make them go prove it all the time” (5:32).

One consequence that is evident throughout this film was when Steven discussed his struggle with having a strained relationship with his father in his adolescence. His father demonstrated toxic masculinity by teaching Steven to get a job, be tough, be a womanizer and not show emotions (18:25). Having that influence growing up and now trying to raise his son differently, he discusses the hardships. He has had to face his son having feelings after he told him “Daddy, I am sensitive” (19:45) and Steven had to learn how to engage and support his son and not deter him away from feeling. By growing up with the influence of toxic masculinity the cycle unfortunately for many men is passed down through generations.

One consequence that was evident in the film was Luis story of the time that he was lonely and depressed and turn to marijuana. “We recognize more and more that adolescents are more likely to be depressed and suicidal, but we imagine that will be female adolescents, because of the way we define depression. More removed more quiet, not responding. What boys tend to do when they are getting depressed is actually the opposite…they see them as a bad kid” (36:15). This must be recognized when thinking about the high rates of suicide in boys and men. “Boys have five times to suicide rate over girls” (37:21). Boys are required to hide behind their masculinity and asking for help is seen as a sign of weakness.

How are masculinities constructed, reproduced and contested in popular culture?

Blind Side Video Trailer

https://www.imdb.com/video/vi402784793/?ref_=tt_vi_i_2

Masculinities are constructed in TV shows and movies. They are portrayed as violent, more aggressive, powerful, emotionless, and strong (14:40). You rarely see male characters cry or show emotions in pop culture. The popular movie Home Alone portrays toxic masculinity. Kevin must protect the home, show little emotions, and be tough because he is the “new man of the house” while his parents are away. One of my favourite movies The Blind Side would be another example of toxic masculinity. Michael is a sensitive character but has to put on a brave face to live in his challenging world. They then put him in football to show his masculine side, which involves being protective and tough. Football is seen as a man’s sport and “football players don’t cry” (16:58).

Neighbours Trailer (2014) : https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2004420/

Another way that masculinity is represented In pop culture is through partying which includes, drinking, drugs, and girls. “You feel out of place if you are the only sober one there” (31:05). This can often be seen in our movies such as the movie Neighbours starring Seth Rogan and Zack Efron.

Sports are another pop culture that highly represents toxic masculinity. “Sports have gotten way confused in terms of power, dominance, control, a lack of moral clarity” (48:51). One example of this can be seen in the recent Hockey Canada controversy over hiding sexual assaults done by their players. By Hockey Canada paying off victims and hiding these claims they have perpetuated male privilege in the sport and have not held men accountable for their actions. This also demonstrates how young men are afraid to come forward regarding issues in sports such as hazing, sexual assaults, locker room talk, and more. By continuing with the harmful culture in hockey we are perpetuating harmful masculinity.

When looking at pop culture there is the man that is quiet, reserved, and emotionless yet still in control, superheroes involved in the violence that demonstrates control and power, the thug who is predominantly men of colour, and then the man child. Grown-ups are one movie that a clip shows in the film. In this movie, the man-child is demonstrated by Marcus Higgins, played by David Spade. This figure depicts a man who sleeps with women of different ages, has children he is unaware of, consumes drugs, and has a carefree life. One way this affects young boys is that it reinforces the stereotype of men chasing women solely for sex. There is also a character named Jasmine who is a young 20-year-old, who is perpetuated as the typical “sexy girl”. She wears short shorts, and shirts that show cleavage, and is extremely sexualized by all the male characters. This sends the wrong message to young guys about how to treat women and objectify them as objects. If we continue perpetuating both women and men in these scenarios in movies it sends the wrong message to young vulnerable boys about how they treat women, how they look at them, how they treat their own bodies, and much more.

Lastly, the music industry demonstrates toxic masculinity. There is the same kind of hyperviolence that we see in television that we see in rap music and hip-hop culture (53:00). One song that is not rap or hip-hop but perpetuates toxic masculinity is Guns N’ Roses “It’s So Easy”. This song talks about how easy it is for a man to get a woman. Lyrics such as “Turn around B****, I got a use for you” and “when everyone’s trying to please me baby” demonstrate the mentality that girls chase men and women are just objects for men to find pleasure in.

Final Thoughts

I want to discuss one scene that really touched me. That was when Luis said, “I was really, really searching for a man I wanted to resemble” (46:48). I think this is incredibly important to consider and why we need to encourage men out of the toxic masculinity mentality as they are the role models for younger boys and men. We need men who are not afraid to express their emotions, challenge the characteristics of masculinity, and express feminity if they want to. This does not even need to be just fathers but other role models discussed in the film such as teachers, coaches, friends fathers, other male family members, brothers, and so much more.

References

Siebel – Newsome, Jennifer. (2015). The Mask You Live In. [Film]. The Representation Project. https://usask.kanopy.com/en/usask/video/141116

Before analyzing the film, we must examine subjectivity, which is essential in shaping sexuality. Sexuality may vary by upbringing, religion, and culture. One’s worldview largely shapes gender roles, sexual expression, and relationships. A conservative religious home may have a more traditional view of relationships than a liberal one. Second, subjectivity influences sexuality. Our values and beliefs significantly influence our sexuality. Traditionalists may exhibit their sexuality differently than open-minded people. They dress, talk, and interact this way. Third, subjectivity influences sexuality. Our values and beliefs shape how we interpret the sexual expression, relationships, and ourselves. Conservative religious parents may consider certain sexual acts sinful.

On the other hand, someone raised in a more accepting environment may find them perfectly acceptable. Finally, subjectivity can influence how we accept and reject various forms of sexual expression. We may reject or accept certain sexual expressions or behaviour based on our values and beliefs. For example, someone raised in a conservative religious household may reject premarital sex, whereas someone raised in a more liberal environment may accept it.

One of the main themes throughout this film is that not only are young people seeing intercourse play out in an incredibly heightened, far from the normal environment, but it is influencing the way they approach sex in their own lives. It creates unrealistic expectations for one discovering their sexuality and acting on it. Because sex and sexuality are often (especially in the past) uncomfortable to talk about, many young people would use pornography and online resources to help them learn about these topics. 

Another important theme is how pornography and sexuality are viewed as things that must occur and be discussed behind closed doors. Sara, for example, discusses how she noticed that boys in her school would watch pornography and openly discuss it, which made her uncomfortable (14:00).

Joel talks about how when he first watched pornography, he felt guilty and could not face his mother when he got home and that he felt that he had something wrong (15:20). These two scenarios shape our perceptions of sexuality, particularly as young people discover their ever-changing bodies and sexualities. It demonstrates that sexuality should be openly discussed rather than something to be ashamed of. I believe that it is also important to note how boys view pornography vs girls. Boys feel confident and empowered watching pornography in their groups at school, yet girls are told it is wrong for them to do it. Girls are far more policed when it comes to sex and their sexualities compared to boys. Also, in our module, posters of women saying stuff like “She may look clean but” regarding sexually transmitted diseases like women are the problem, and they are the ones that spread it when we now know both genders can quickly spread many sexually transmitted infections.

Also, because sexuality is something we shy away from when young adults enjoy watching non-heternormative sexual relationships, they feel as if they are not normal and feel emotions such as shame and embarrassment. This can be seen by Jack, who discusses how he came to explore his sexuality through pornography. He continually tried to convince himself that he was straight and expressed “shame” (9:40) when watching homosexual relations online. He discusses how when he was 12 was the first time he typed to google “naked men” (8:28) and explored how he did not realize he was gay and struggling with his sexuality. However, we have shaped our society to believe that heteronormativity is the only way to be, and when we venture outside those imaginary lines, we are abnormal.

We then see the other side, Sandra, who identifies as a lesbian in the film. She discusses how she came out at 13 and did not have a girlfriend until 17, and describes it as “something private, that no one else has to know about” (10:10). She also discusses how when she first kissed a girl, she was worried if she would like it or not and confused on where she should go from there. This perpetuates a narrative that we have to either be straight, lesbian, or gay when sexuality can mean many things now a day, such as a spiritual and emotional connection that has absolutely nothing to do with the gender of the person.

Liam discusses how porn made him eager to get out there and experience sex (10:35). Although, as we know, pornography perpetuates unrealistic expectations, which can be harmful and reinforce gender stereotypes and violence against women. While pornography is not all bad in my mind as it is a way for some people to express themselves in such a way as in a canvas for artists.

It is also necessary to note how when sexuality became a staple for clothing companies such as American Eagle, the ideas around sexuality changed. Larry Flynt explains this perfectly by saying, “pornography had made a huge difference culturally” (12:48). Before pornography was hidden. It was something that people believed was bad and gross, and dangerous. However, when it was culturally flipped to normalize sex and ones sexuality (predominantly heteronormative), it was not a subject that needed to be hidden behind closed doors.

Finally, these examples demonstrate that sexuality is more than just a biological fact and that there are other ideas to consider. Society conditions us to think sexuality is wrong, that questioning one’s sexual orientation is embarrassing, and that adhering to heteronormativity is the only acceptable orientation. Sexuality is a universal experience that every single person experiences.

References

Corlett, David. Crabbe Maree. (2013). Love and Sex in an Age of Pornography. [Film: Kanopy]. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529708196

Speakers: St Ives, K., Spiegler, M., Ventura, J., Sechrest, J., Hirsch, M., Hardwood, A., Falco, T., Hartley, N., Stagliano, J., Flynt, L.

 

 

 

 

Dominant Gender Cultural Norms are prevalent in today’s pop culture. Below are some examples of gender roles, sexism, biopower, social constructivism, and gender ideologies from advertisements, movies, books, and songs.

Tv Show/Book – The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

THE HANDMAIDS TALE Season 1 TRAILER (2017) Hulu Series – YouTube

Handmaids Tale Trailer – Tv Series

The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood’s most famous book, now turned into a television show, depicts a dystopian society with gender roles. In Gilead, men rule and women are subservient.  Gilead society started by restricting women’s economic rights by closing their bank accounts and giving their contents to husbands or male family members. Then, employers must fire all women, ending women’s right to work outside the home. After that, they can’t travel abroad. They lose their rights one by one. If they disobey, these women are severely punished for their clothing, food, and friends.

One female role is a handmaid. These are the last fertile women forced to bear the children of political leaders who cannot have children. They are placed in homes, sexually assaulted, stay with the family for their pregnancy, and then are moved to another household to repeat the process. Commanders’ families employ infertile “Marthas” to cook, clean, and serve.

The Handmaids Tale reinforces cultural gender norms that women’s sole purpose is to bear children and care for the home and men. It also demonstrates biopower as Gilead commanders control the lives and bodies of all in their society. The tale reinforces male inferiority to women and shows that even in today’s society, taking away women’s economic and job rights leaves them vulnerable and powerless.

Televison Advertisment – Volkswagen UK

Volkswagen UK on Twitter: “When we learn to adapt, we can achieve anything. Introducing the 100% electric e-Golf.” / Twitter

The video shows only men working in a spacecraft. Space is often perceived as dangerous and risky, and you must be in top physical condition to have the opportunity to experience the world from the galaxy. Women are frequently not portrayed in space because it is viewed as a man’s domain. In fact, only 63 women have been in space compared to 533 men (Mars, para 1).

The second video shows a male amputee using his prosthetic to perform a long jump. While this man is incredible and has clearly adapted to his disability, this advertisement is discriminatory against female amputees. As we will see later, males are the only ones depicted in dishonourable situations in this advertisement.

Finally, men are portrayed as powerful and honourable in this advertisement, but when a woman was depicted in the final clip sitting on a park bench reading a book with a stroller next to her. This demonstrates that, while men are strong and capable of completing difficult tasks, the role of a woman is to be a mother.

This advertisement conforms to gender norms and demonstrates men and women in stereotypical situations. Eventually, I hope society will come to terms with the fact that gender is a social construction and that the harmful beliefs that stem from it affect many groups of people.

Poster Advertisements – Pro-active 

Now, this advertisement is so incredibly sexist that it infuriates me. Proactiv is a popular acne routine that many teenagers and young adults use. As someone who struggled with acne, this was a lifesaver when I was younger, and I know how it is to be so self-conscious of blemishes on your skin.
This advertisement explicitly targets young women and portrays that they will not attract the male eye if they do not have clear skin. This advertisement demonstrates gender performativity, the idea that being a female entails caring about your appearance and conforming to the ideology of attractiveness. A portion of this ideology has perfect skin that is free of blemishes. A woman’s value is determined based on how they look.

Disney Movie – Cinderella

Cinderella (1950) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers – YouTube

Disney’s Cinderella perpetuates gender stereotypes and gender performativity because women must be put together (hair, makeup, outfit, etc.) to attract the male gaze. Her transformation into a glamorous and immaculately dressed young bachelorette reinforces the beauty ideal. Cinderella’s chances of making a good and lasting impression on the Prince would be slim to none if she attended the Prince’s ball in her raggedy attire. The ball in Cinderella also demonstrates gender norms and ideologies surrounding marriage and how this is what all women want. Cinderella was also expected to do housework, cook, and clean, a stereotypical role for women.

Song – God Made Girls – Raelynn

RaeLynn – God Made Girls (Official Video) – YouTube

This song is the stereotypical ideology of what it means to be a girl. It paints women as nothing but pretty little objects. Lyrics such as “somebody’s gotta wear a pretty skirt” and “give him a reason to hold that door” intends that women exist as nothing more than a way of pleasing men’s frivolous romantic fantasies. Not only Is this song insensitive and sexist toward women, but it is also toward men. The lyrics “somebody’s gotta be the one to cry” portrays the idea that men cannot cry; they need to be tough and strong. This reinforces toxic masculinity and teaches young men that showing their emotions means your feminine.

I also think that this song is offensive to our LGBTQ+ community as it reinforces heteronormativity. It portrays that a man and women are the norms in a relationship and that “god” created two genders to play feminine and masculine roles.

Works Cited

Mars, Kelli. “Women Astronauts and the International Space Station.” NASA, 29 Mar. 2021, www.nasa.gov/feature/women-astronauts-and-the-international-space-station.

Attributions

Series Trailer MP. “THE HANDMAIDS TALE Season 1 TRAILER (2017) Hulu Series.” YouTube, 23 Mar. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVLiDETfx1c.

“Volkswagen UK On.” Twitter, 26 Dec. 2018, twitter.com/UKVolkswagen/status/1077836412743864320.

Arun, Vishnu. “25 Sexist Ads, You Won’t Believe Existed | Lessons From History.” Medium, 4 Apr. 2022, medium.com/lessons-from-history/25-outrageously-sexist-vintage-ads-you-wont-believe-existed-d9e6e234a625.

Animation Compendia. “Cinderella – 2005 Platinum Edition DVD Trailer.” YouTube, 28 Apr. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyDJWRMSeTw.

RaeLynnVEVO. “RaeLynn – God Made Girls (Official Video).” YouTube, 7 Aug. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl1uv6gB4hE.

Hello!

I’m Ali, a third-year student studying women and gender studies. After majoring in microbiology and immunology for a while, I switched to women and gender studies because I was fascinated by how much I could apply what I learned daily and how it changed how I viewed the world. I was previously a science major, where I completed my prerequisites for veterinary medicine. This is the field I am passionate about, and I hope to be accepted into the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in the near future. Therefore, I hope to apply what I learn here and apply it into my daily life and future career. I think these are important lessons everyone should learn, especially if they work in a field requiring frequent public interaction.

My goal for this course is that I would like to improve my critical thinking skills so that I can evaluate what I read more effectively. I’ve always struggled with academic papers, especially when they’re about subjects I am not interested in or can’t relate to. I am captivated by intersectionality, gender, race, and class studies and how they all intersect. I hope this course will help me improve my ability to analyze the articles we’ve been assigned critically. Then I’ll hopefully e able to apply what I have learned here to previous and future papers.

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