Humanity Raising double standards. Which standard is right?
You play like a girl...
Black and blue or white and gold?
Who wears the pants?
Which gender will take home the trophy?
Beauty over Brains
The reality of your sexuality. How is your gender effecting you?
Index:
(1-3) •You play like a girl (4-6) •Who wears the pants (7-9) •Beauty over brains (10-11) •Media over morals •Why is it so hard to see black and blue (12-13) (14-15) •Double standards •Gender inequality in political leaders (16-17) (18-19) •The reality of your sexuality (20-21) •Pornography (22-28) •Purple hibiscuses review (29-30) •Stereotypes interview (31-32) •The male feminist (33-34) •Behind the scenes (35-36) •Bibliography i
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You play like Many women get criticized about sport in the
The title refers to a classic saying, “ You
modern society as they are portrayed as weaker play like a girl.” This statement shows that sport players compared to men. Do you know girls cant play to the standard that a man who the South African girls soccer team is or
can play and it is a statement that could be
even their cricket team? A lot of people don’t
used to tease someone that plays badly in a
know these answers but when you get asked
sport. This shows how female sport is not
who the men’s South African cricket team is
as big in society as male sport.
you should know the answer like its general knowledge. This is due to the lack of acknowledgements female sports women get.
Girls can too !
Female sports tend to not be sponsored by big brands, as all the bigger brands want to spon-
Social media also advertises more male
sor the men’stext teams as they think they will Type to enter make more money off of it. It has been shown
sport than female sport so people don’t al-
that men can often make up to three times the
TV so they want to watch it whereas if they
amount of money from one game as a female
saw a female match coming up they might
would have earned playing the same sport and2 1 in the same league just the female version.
want to watch that match.
ways have a choice because they see it on
There are plenty of ways to get women’s sport up to the same standard as men’s sport, they just need to take a stand and put themselves out there to show people women are just as good at sport as men, and so what if you play like a girl! By Tamaryn James
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Who wears the pants? A Massive attribute that needs to be incorporated more into the world today is gender equality. Specific roles are associated to different genders, however gender equality has not been addressed properly.
Long ago in the times when there were no cities or machinery, man was the hunter and provider for the family while the mother was the nurturer and caretaker. Men work hard to earn income for them, but ‘feminists’ want to switch roles, so to say they The common house hold is a place can do whatever a man can do bewhere gender inequality mostly occause everybody is equal. In most curs. One question we could ask is; households this has not changed. are men automatically the breadwin- Have you ever heard the term ‘stayner of the household because they are at-home-mom’? Well of course. Now men? Or are they the head of the how about a ‘stay-at-home-dad’? Not house because they provide the inso much. come? 4v
Because we live in the 21st century there have been many people that stand up against this and started petitions to say that it is possible for females and males to switch roles. There are women who are the providers and men the care-takers but this is a scarce situation.
On the contrary woman have been given a gift that men do not have and that is the ability to give birth. Maybe that's why they stay with the children, maybe there's a special connection between mother and child because of a woman's typically ‘sweeter nature’ and the fact that they are seen as more gentle than men. But fathers can be gentle too. Of course, they can, but society has labeled people in such a way that we are given roles and we chose to follow them.
‘Men get used, hurt, played, abused too. But if they complain about it, society calls them weak. Men have feelings and they cry too. Crying doesn't mean he’s weak, it means he's human.’
‘feminism isn't about making women stronger. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.’ -G.D Anderson
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Beauty
Brain
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Beauty Brains
Ages 11-17 are proven to be the ages in which girls become self-conscious about the way Ages 11-17 During are proven toages, some girls start they look. these be the ages in whichand girls reading magazines analyzing the images of the models or they become aware of the become self-conscious way models look in look. adverts. The thing we about the way they don't realize is that all of these pictures are photoshopped, none of these models look exactly like this in person, and we inherit the idea of wanting to be as perfect as they are. Parents today have to worry about their children's: self-esteem, self-image, depression and eating disorders, all because of this.
over
Which do you prefer beauty or brains?
Why would girls rather choose to model over studying Science? Well, to answer your question we would have to travel back in time a little. The basic answer to this would be to thank movies and media. Little girls become too ‘Tangled’ in the idea of living a Disney princess fantasy. When I was a little girl I loved getting dressed up for fun. I used to wear a sparkly dress, plastic heels, my mother's makeup and a sparkly tiara to top it all off. Studies have proven that girls aged 4-10 watch Disney and Barbie films, and start to associate specific characteristics to all females. For example: ‘girls have to wear a dress and makeup if they want to feel pretty’ and ‘girls need a man to be happy’ or, the film Snow white shows a woman cooking and cleaning for a bunch of men. Not only has this developed a general list of characteristics in the way women should act in society but it has affected the way we look or rather want to look.
So why do girls put themselves through this? Simple, we want to fit in. I have realized after going into numerous amounts of research into this topic that we should stop using the phrase ‘beauty over brains’. Luckily there are many women out there who use wise words to guide females in the opposite direction of this phrase. I hope from the bottom of my heart that future generations bring us more, but for now, if you are a woman reading this, I would like you to remember that; you are so much more than just a pretty face, you are intelligent, strong and fearless. Use this to your advantage and don't let any media source tell you otherwise.
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Media over Morals
How are you perceived in the media?
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If you were to turn on your television at this moment, who is the first person you would see? A male? Yes, a recent article by Sam Femiano and Mark Nickerson states that there is a 90% chance of viewing a male first, whether it be in an advertisement, TV show or a movie. Men dominate the media, and although this may be flattering towards men, they aren't portrayed as the people we meet in our everyday lives.
"Less manly" males are often played by supporting characters, because of the lack of the personality in the main character or as a source of humor and depth. Some of the characteristics of a “unmanly man” go as far as being emotional, scared, confused and even in despair, whilst “manly” men can be characterized as strong, adventurous, independent and attractive.
Although we can do very little to seize stereotyping, we can learn to Women are often called out for stereotyping but men are no excep- accept it and overlook the shallow tion. The Cambridge dictionary de- stereotypes placed on both men fines stereotyping as a set idea that and women in the 20th century. people have about what someone or The next time you're watching a something is like. Although we are television show or even a movie, exposed to media, we seldom make tune into the portrayal of male actors and how you can relate to the effort to analyse the emotions, appearance and characteristics that their characteristics if you can, and take a second to notice the ininfluence our opinions regarding masculinity. The media commonly fluence on your own ideas regarding masculinity and the real men make use of male stereotyping in two very different ways. Men in key who feature in your life. "positive" character roles are portrayed as “alpha males” within a biased and vastly limited range of 11 male traits.
Why is it so hard to see Black and Blue?. Do you just see white and gold? 12
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Social media has huge effects on different gender roles. On social media, women are portrayed as cute while men have to look big and strong and they can’t have anything “girly” on their accounts. If a man is seen with any sort of make up on they will be automatically labeled either as gay or ‘feminine’. On social media it is socially acceptable for a man to have a picture of alcohol and a lot of women around them and they wont get judged they will be called fun and cool. If a women had to post a picture of themselves with a drink or surrounded by many guys they would be judged and have bad connotations attached to their name even if they aren’t true.
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When women get judged they often get affected by it worse than a man would such as a man can go and fight the person but a women would turn faster to self harm and suicide than a man would. Once women find themselves in a place where they are sad they often just need one person to cheer themselves up and most of the time they find that person is on social media. 8 times out of 10 it will be a predator, which is just looking for a victim.
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Men are less prone to be a victim of online sexual offenders than women. Men are 70 percent of the time the predators that victimize the women so they feel like they are portrayed to be more dominant then the women. Most women are weaker than men so they would not be able to get out the situation they are in and they would get harmed with bruises, rape or even death but not everyone actually sees how these things
Double standards Double standards attack anyone and everyone.
It’s acceptable for a woman in a relationship to ask the man to change but when the roles are reversed they can’t be together because he should be able to accept her for who she is. It is seen more acceptable to judge a man’s body than a woman's. Many examples of this can be seen on social media. These are double standards. They exist everywhere, within different cultures, religions and societies.
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The most controversial double standards are mainly about sex and relationships. If a woman goes out for a ‘girls night’ with her friends, her boyfriend (or partner) won't stop her. As soon as the tables are turned the woman will be skeptical and automatically assume he's going to cheat on her. How is it so that men are assumed to be more likely to cheat on their partner than women? Unfortunately, this standard also changes based on the type of relationship. Whether it is a homosexual, heterosexual or any other type of relationship these double standards should not exist. Double standards are not fair.
Although these are seen as controversial, in the end, women are stereotyped to be dependent. Whether they have many or only one sexual partner women are assumed to be happier when they are in a relationship. As feminism has become more accepted this stereotype has fortunately faded away. It may seem impossible to eliminate double standards but double standards will cease to exist once we acknowledge their existence.
If a woman, regardless of her sexuality, prefers to have many sexual partners she is labelled as a slut. On the other hand, if a man has many sexual partners he is praised. Most countries and cultures today practice monogamy, but as recently as two centuries ago, most cultures practised polygamy, in which most practised polygyny (men having multiple wives) and only a handful practised polyandry (women having multiple husbands). 15
Gender inequality in political leaders 17
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Political leaders are people who have taken up the responsibility of governing a tribe, city, state, region or even an entire nation. In past years we have got many political leaders, both decent and some of a low standard.The issue is about gender inequality through the years and how it has gotten better and worse. Through out history their have been women that were warriors, powerful priestesses, and political leaders. However other times strict expectations have been placed on a woman with them being inferior to males. Women could not vote and were discouraged from owning a business. Women were often forced into political marriages where the men were superior to them. Strict desires of ladies' virtue won, and ladies who broke the tenets were rebuffed as offenders and social outcasts. Only in the insurgency of the seventies went ahead to change ladies encounter. It seems that full gender equality has been reached or it is much better than how it was before. It is now natural to see female politicians, doctors, business leaders, 17 and writers.
Some encounters like the presidential election last year. A few reports were about common gender stereotypes of most of  America prefer having a male leader than a woman due to fear of change or due to gender stereotypes. This is not how it should be because change can be for good and for bad not just for bad. Toward the day's and what is vital is that ladies today in our general public do have a decision about how they need to be and act and how they invest their energy.
The reality of your sexuality By Mia Pretorius 19
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In 1990 a man named Bruce Voeller estimated that at least 10% of the population is confirmed as gay. If there are so many people in the world who are gay then why do others think it's so bad? To further my research I interviewed a Capetonian on his sexuality. JP is a local hairdresser. He believes that being gay is not something you choose but rather something you feel. When JP was 6 years old he kept quiet about liking dolls and other toys classified as ‘feminine’ by society. When he went to high school he knew for a fact that he was more attracted to men and confessed it to the boy he had feelings for. The boy rejected him and from that day onwards he decided to never tell anyone that he was gay again. Growing up in his days he would have been bullied because of the environment he lived in. Strangely enough to this day JP’s first ‘crush’ is still good friends with him even though he is married to a woman and is a father of two. Later in life, JP decided to not hide his true identity anymore and continues his life today as a wonderful human being. So why do people have problems with others being gay, lesbian or bi-sexual? The answer once again leads back to society, because these people have a different lifestyle and aren't the same as everyone else they get judged.”Everyone in life just wants to be loved and acknowledged as a human being,” said JP. But people being brainwashed by society don't realize that having a different sexuality still means you're a human being, they see them as different. Certain people believe that having a different sexuality is wrong because of their religion and others just stick to their morals but all in all, we should not hate others for living a different lifestyle. America's previous President Barack Obama once said, ‘all people should be treated equally, no matter who they are or who they love’ and in my personal opinion this is a really good quote to follow, before you judge think of how you would like to be treated in their position too, because at the end of the day we're all human beings and we all just want the same love and attention from others.
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Raising Double Standards Double standards mean double trouble. How were you raised? To play with any type of toy you wanted? or only the toys you were given? From a young age, kids are disciplined. Not by getting a smack on the bottom, because that's too controversial, but by being told what not to do. If a boy wanted to play with a doll would he be frowned upon or encouraged? Double standards not only affect adults but also young children that are barely able to make their own decisions.
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Children start watching movies and TV shows as soon as they can talk. Most movies, especially children’s movies, depict gender stereotypes or specific gender roles. Disney movies portray girls as dependant and naive, they need to be saved by boys who are ‘strong’ and ‘brave’. Luckily these stereotypes have been challenged. It’s suddenly more acceptable for a girl to be tough and want to be like male Disney characters than for a boy to want to be like Rapunzel. Although movies have evolved and female characters are heroes too there still seem to be double standards. ‘Moana’, for example, is strong and independent but Maui is still a muscular male character who only cares about looks and status. Why have male character stereotypes not been challenged? Why are they still so infatuated with being strong and courageous? Most parents are oblivious to the way they treat their children different according to their child's gender. As soon as the gender is revealed gender-related clothes and toys are bought. Girls are comforted when they cry and boys are told to be strong. The only explanation is that we learn from our own experiences; parents raise their children based on how they were raised as a kid. This is concerning as it causes a constant cycle of double standards being made and continuous judgement. As soon as we become aware of this injustice, changes can be made. A boy will be able to wear ‘girly’ clothing without being frowned upon and a girl can play outside, whether she is a tomboy or not. Any issue such as gender inequality can only be acted upon once there is an awareness of it.
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Pornography kills standards. Pornography has become a dominating industry in society with approximately 28 000 people, according to recent studies, watching pornography online every second. There are those individuals who embrace it and those who believe it to be degrading to women.
Pornography furthermore has the power to create expectations for women. In order for a man to be sexually attracted to a woman, she would have to possess certain characteristics of those portrayed in any pornographic media.
Majority of the pornographic films today are directed by men and therefore are typically shown from the viewpoint of a male. Porn is also known to primarily portray male dominance and therefore aggressive sexual behaviour towards women. This leads to females being seen as sexual objects with the mere purpose of satisfying a mans sexual needs and not particularly satisfying their own. xxiii
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Beauty can be perceived to be sentimentality or obscenity. Sentimentality is the way that a person emotively responds to beauty and to love while obscenity is where a person has a perverted and uncontrollable appetitive response to beauty. Porn identifies to be characterized as obscenity as it revolves around physical beauty and the way a person reacts to that beauty. Porn also leads to a loss of value in beauty. Beauty becomes an item used for temporary enjoyment. As pornography is an addiction, many relationships begin to fade away due to the unrealistic expectations placed on women. Resulting in women being neglected or even becoming a victim of domestic violence.
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Purple Hibiscus reviews Purple Hibiscus is written by a Nigerian author, Chimamanda Adichie. This book revolves around the life of a young girl, Kambili, living in Nigeria. She lives in a patriarchal household where she, her mother and her brother, Jaja, all live in the shadow of her father. Her father, Eugene, is very religious and often abuses his family both physically and emotionally. Eugene works for a newspaper and is the only member of the family that works. The book's themes include: coming of age, religion, colonialism and silence. During Kambili’s coming of age she is exposed to new environments. When she stays with her Aunt, Ifeoma, in Nsukka she learns to express herself and be comfortable around new people. Her Aunt can be seen as a strong feminist. Ifeoma is strong, independent and outspoken. One of her daughters, Amaka, has very similar characteristics to her mother. This impacts Kambili greatly. She in her own way becomes used to feminist ideals and slowly becomes one too as she matures. Another character who can also be seen as a feminist is Kambili’s mother Beatrice. At first, Beatrice is submissive and seems to be the opposite of a feminist but as the story progresses she evolves into a strong woman who stands up for herself and her children. A predominant theme in Purple Hibiscus is silence. When Eugene abuses his family they keep quiet. Kambili often prefers silence over speaking for the fear of saying something wrong. The silence is broken once Kambili returns home from Nsukka. She is almost a new person and stands up for herself. The way Chimamanda Adichie describes her characters and their emotions are extremely powerful. The characters are so realistic that one is easily drawn into the book, living out their experiences and relating to the characters in ways that are unimaginable. Purple Hibiscus is an eye-opening novel as it explores aspects of religion and feminism that aren’t often discussed. People of all religions, cultures and race can enjoy this book and learn from it.
By Carla Steicher xxv
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Purple Hibiscus deals with many themes such as family struggles and religion but a big part of the book is about gender inequality in the Achika household .Papa Eugene has taken the lead of the household due to african tradition of being the husband or because of him feeling he earns the money so he automatically is the head of the house ? This novel strives to seek to bring about change in the household of Achike ,especially on how women are treated.The novel challenges the tendency of men to dehumanise women, and this event in the character of Beatrice the mother is clearly seen in how Eugene treats his wife and mother of his children,Beatrice.She portrays the transitional African stereotype of an ideal woman who stays quiet when humiliated ,victimized and brutally abused,so as to be perceived as a good wife. There are two sorts of a lady in this book the great lady (Mama) and the genuine lady (Aunty Ifeoma). which reflects the two unique sorts of women's liberation in the work: African women's rights, which is frequently observed as being liberal and tolerant of men, and radical women's liberation, conceived from savagery, which at that point utilizes brutality to pick up an opportunity. In spite of the fact that Adichie strategically exhibited Mama as tranquil and dutiful toward the start of the novel, she ended up noticeably radical towards the finish of the novel to demonstrate that she can respond when pushed to the divider. In conclusion, The creators contend the case that Achike has a place with the classification of liberal women's liberation who was constrained by circumstances outside her ability to control to react and go radical keeping in mind the end goal to smash anything that stands in her approach to satisfaction spond when pushed to the divider.
By Cameron Benny xxvi
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Chimamanda Adichie is a successful Nigerian writer who wrote the novel, ‘Purple Hibiscus.’ This book takes us through the life of a young Nigerian girl, named Kambili. Her coming of age is compared to a purple hibiscus to show how she blooms to find her own character. The entire novel was written with pieces of conflict relating to gender stereotypes and the way certain Nigerian families live. After all, it is a feminist piece of work which challenges the tendency of men to dehumanise women. Evidence of this is shown when we meet Mamma (Beatrice Achike) who is portrayed as a typical African woman, she has no voice against her husband (Eugene Achike) and in times when she is humiliated or abused she keeps quiet and shows obedience as her husband has full control over her. But the novel is not only filled with ‘obedient’ women, another woman - the opposite of Beatrice - is shown; Aunty Ifeoma, aunt to Kambili and Jaja, is not one you would like to argue with. She is portrayed as a ‘real’ woman who has a large sense of feminism to her, she is strong, independent and will stick to her morals and beliefs. Kambili starts the story off with the same attitude as to what her mother has and because she lives in Nsukka for a while with her aunt she slowly develops her own voice and character with influences such as her cousin Amaka and she starts to gain characteristics of Ifeoma. Adichie argues that Beatrice belongs to the ‘liberal feminism’ category because, in the end, she was willing to fight anything standing in the way of her happiness. She is so determined to achieve joy, that her manners get out of control and she ends up poisoning and killing Eugene. Jaja being the only male in their family decides that he needs to take on the role of their father and take the blame for him being killed. The reason for Beatrice poisoning her husband was because of the violent acts he committed, which represent patriarchal power. Eugene's role as the breadwinner in the family gets to his head and makes him oppressive and violent, forcing the rest of the family to have no say because of the fear they experience; he takes away their voices and their power. The novel as a whole is based on stereotypes given to us by society because but teaches us that women can have their own voices too.
By Mia Pretorius 27
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Purple hibiscus was written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and is narrated by Kambili Achike. This novel, which is set in post colonial Nigeria explores gender inequality, religion and Kambili's longing for freedom. The major themes displayed are both freedom and oppression which are reflected in the setting, symbols and the characters throughout the novel. The topic of gender inequality is largely portrayed in this novel where a man takes on the dominant role of the household. Mama Beatrice, being passive and submissive, cannot do anything to prevent Papa Eugene's violence towards herself and their children. In colonial times, men were always the dominant force of a family. It was always the man's job to prosper and supply for his family. This is evident throughout the novel as Eugene has absolute power over his family and runs his household similarly to a dictatorship. The novel begins as Nigeria is put under political pressure and begins to fall apart. Kambili’s father sends her and her brother Jaja to stay with Aunty Ifeoma, a University Professor. Aunty Ifeoma's house is constantly full of fun and laughter, which is an unusual environment for Kambili. Whilst staying in Nsukka with Aunty Ifeoma and her children, Kambili and Jaja discover freedom and love beyond the oppression of their father Eugene. During this visit they discover themselves and what they really long for, their voice, and the confidence to explore their passions that will ultimately result in their liberation. This novel tells a story about a strive for freedom, a love driven by hate and a family derived from fear. Purple Hibiscus was written by none other than Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian writer of novels, short stories, and nonfiction. Chimamanda was awarded the MacArthur Genius Grant in 2008, an impressive and prestigious award. Other novels she has written include, “Americanah”, “Half of a Yellow Sun” and “Should All Be Feminists”. Which all share similar themes including themes discussing gender inequality and liberation, which are themes highly evident in this novel. In my opinion, Purple Hibiscus was a very enjoyable read because of the juxtaposition of events as well as the comparison between Kambili's life at home versus her life in Nsukka. I would definitely recommend this book to others as the plot and the message behind the book is both realistic and meaningful. I look forward to reading Chimamanda's other works in hope that they will be similar in quality.
By Troy Innes
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In the novel Purple hibiscus it is very prominent that there is gender inequality and it is very prominent with Eugene and Beatrice and their children. Eugene is scene as a dominant male and Beatrice the weaker wife that always listens to him and fears him. In the beginning of the novel Eugene is shown throwing a misle at Jaja and the mother doesn’t stop him as she is scared of him and doesn’t want to be beaten herself. Kambili picks up the pieces of broken figurines that were broken from the flying book. It is shown very early in the novel that gender inequality is a theme. Eugene is scene as the dominant father when he beats Beatrice and causes her to have a miss carriage but she says that she was mealy in an accident and lost the baby, she lied to protect herself from Eugene. Eugene believes that he is doing the right thing by punishing his family when they do something wrong. They also live in a patriarchal society where the husband works and brings home the money and they are the breadwinners while the women are the people that stay at home and cook and clean and look after the children so it is a very stereotypical family where the husband does the work and the mother stays home and looks after the children and the children need to be perfect and first in class. In the novel it is very clearly shown that Kambilies family is a very stereotypical family that follows the rules and the different gender roles are very prominent in the family and we see that dominance is associated with the male figure in the novel.
By Tamaryn James 28
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Stereotypes interview with
Zacharie Warsame Are there stereotypes of females and males seen all over your country, especially in the media, if yes then what are they like? ‘No, over time Sweden has become better in that topic and the genders are very equal in the media
Is it common for girls to develop eating disorders at your age?
because sexism and gender stereotypes are
‘Maybe, it could occur but I haven't noticed
frowned upon.’
it.’
Are gender stereotypes a big problem in Sweden?
Are boys allowed to have long hair at your school?
’I think that gender stereotypes aren't a big
‘Yes, in fact it's popular for men and boys to
problem here in Sweden because gender
have longer hair. Hairstyles are very varying and
equality is a part of the foundation in our
nobody really cares if you're bald, or if you have
society. I'm not saying it's nonexistent but
dyed hair.’
it does pop up sometimes in children such as their toys.’
Which sports are favorited by which genWhat are your dress code rules for der? school? Do girls have to wear ‘Male: 1. Soccer 2. Floorball 3. Golf 4. Ice hockey dresses and boys pants? Female: 1. Gymnastics 2. Soccer
3.Equestrianism/Riding 4. Athletics’
‘You can wear whatever you want as long as it doesn't offend anyone or showing 30
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too much skin.’
If you have sports, are the options the same for girls and boys? And please tell us about the sports in your country (which are very popular, are there male and female teams for all sports?) ‘The most popular sport here is soccer followed by floorball. Usually an organisation has several different age groups. In every age group there is a female team and a male team if there is enough interest.’
Is it more acceptable for girls to wear revealing clothing in your country? Will they be treated differ- How does your country feel about; ently? gay, lesbian or bi-sexual people? ‘It's acceptable for girls to wear revealing
clothes. Most people don't really care about ‘Sweden is one of the country's that are very what you're wearing but again there could open and strive for eliminating discriminabe a lot of people looking at them or some
tion. You can have any sexuality without hav-
catcalling.’
ing to fear being discriminated here BUT there can be some individuals that judge the
Are the teachers at your school mostly male or female or are they fairly equal?
LGBT community. Here in Stockholm we have a Pride Festival from 31st of July to the 6th of August and there are many other festi-
‘Usually in a common Swedish household
vals in other cities.’
it's very equal. For example both partners work and earn money to take care of the household. In my family, both my parents work and share the expenses such as rent and utility bills. When it comes to cooking and other house chores we all help each other. So to summarize it from my perspective it is very equal.’ 31
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The Male Feminist.
How are gender identities constructed, maintained or challenged in media? ‘Toned, tanned, fit and [not] ready’ Snoop Dogg has it all wrong. Women are objectified as, and don’t aspire to be, sexual playthings in the media. In millions of clothing and fragrance commercials, female models are scantily clad or nude. A notorious example of such is Tom Ford’s 2007 fragrance campaign, wherein an unclothed woman places a fragrance between her legs. This insinuates that women can be ‘bought’ with the price of a gaudy bottle. Does this not substitute pornography? Do women have a price tag?
In contrast, men are presented as poised and sophisticated individuals in fragrance commercials, as well as car advertisements. From Ryan Reynolds’s Hugo Boss campaign to David Beckham’s Classic Blue promo, men are fully clothed in dapper tuxedos. Rarely, men are presented as sexual objects: it is arguable that Scott Eastwood’s Davidoff campaign (in which he is topless) portrays men as sexual beings. A starker example is Versace’s Eros campaign, in which a nude man poses in a provocative sexual stance. Nonetheless, men are consistently deified and dignified in the media as indiThe media communicates perverse, and viduals that command respect, and one will never ever see a woman in a suit promoting worrying, messages about a woman’s value. Moreover, women are objectified as a fragrance or automobile. accessories through car advertisements. For instance, in 2016, BMW initiated a campaign for their new M2, in which they enlisted Gigi Hadid to be the ‘face’ of the car. In the ad, Hadid is seen climbing into the passenger seat of the car before it drives off. Anyone can assume that BMW is implying that ‘if you buy this car, you’ll get Gigi too’. Do women have a price tag? What about the specifications of the car? It’s clear that women are maintained as sexual objects with a sole purpose of pleas- 32 31 ing a man.
Interestingly, women challenge the media’s conventional interpretation of them as sexual objects. In recent years, numerous TV Series have come to light wherein women possess leading roles as corporate giants. Two notable examples are Viola Davis in ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ and Gina Torres in ‘Suits’. In these shows, these women are depicted as intimidatingly lovable figures that hold immense power and they are people that command respect. Studios such as ABC (the producers of the shows mentioned above) are diverting from the media’s perpetual portrayal of women as housewives and are portraying them as independent breadwinners. Despite this recent trend, women have been constructed and maintained as submissive individuals in TV shows for decades and so it will take time to fix this injustice. Even from 2004-2012, a show entitled ‘Desperate Housewives’ (the title is self-explanatory) was aired, and influential women such as Eva Longoria and Marcia Cross acted in this show which is derived from the idea that all women do in their spare time is indulge in neighborhood gossip and moan for their husbands to come home. Thus, the media challenges and maintains the conventions of a woman’s identity as a stay-at-home wife.
In addition to that, women are depicted as politically inept in the media via news outlets such as CNN. A widely known example is Hilary Clinton of the United States: she aspired to be the President of the United States and challenged Donald Trump in so doing. Clinton has been discredited for involvement in terrorist conspiracies, and Trump has been notorious for making misogynistic comments in the media. In October 2016, a reporter, Carl Unger, stated that her ‘irrational rage hormones from her periods can’t make decisions for the nation’. This is laughable, and we now know that Unger never paid attention in Biology class. Despite the fact that Clinton had more political experience than Trump, Trump still defeated her in the referendums. This is due to the fact that the media painted an image of Clinton as someone incapable of running a country, promoting the idea that women cannot be in positions of power. This claim can easily be rebuked. Fact: Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel is a woman. As of 2016, Germany had the world’s largest current account surplus of over $300 billion. If women are such terrible leaders, how Admittedly, men are presented and maintained could this be so? To conclude, the media is guilty of constructing and maintaining as successful and powerful individuals in the testosterone-fuelled media. Over 90% of movies, degrading perceptions of women, but dating back to the 20th century, feature male ac- proudly upholds deifying images of men. tors that hold positions of power in the house- When a man courts three women simulhold and in business. There are countless exam- taneously, he is a ‘gangster’. When a woman courts three men at the same ples, ranging from James Wan’s ‘Furious 7’ (2015) to Jean-Luc Godard’s ‘Breathless’ (1960). time, she is labeled as a ‘slut’. When a However, the media recently began casting fe- man poses in underwear, he is a ‘sex males with major roles in movies. A good exam- symbol’. When a woman does so, she is ple is Priyanka Chopra playing a Drug Queenpin ‘shameless’. When a man pursues a cain the movie Baywatch (2017): in it, she is an in- reer, he is ‘industrious and determined’. timidating and deadly figure (a role that a man When a woman does so, she is ‘veering typically undertakes). Regardless, an archetype out of her lane’. Ultimately, the media of a powerful figure in the media mostly takes blindly neglects why women and men the form of a man because it has maintained the look similar: we are supposed to compleabsurd perception that ‘men are genetically supe-ment and not condescend each other. rior to women’. It is very rare that you will see a man subordinated in the media, in any TV Show, commercial, movie or in the music industry. 33 32
Behind the scene : Acknowledgments
-Mia PretoriusEditor in chief
-Carla StreicherCopy editor
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-Cameron Benny Art Director
-Troy InnesSocial media
-Tamaryn JamesDesigner
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