Constructing Femininity & Masculinity Diversity Literacy Week 4 Prepared by Claire Kelly
Identity “identities are the names we give the different ways we are positioned by and position ourselves within, the narratives of the past” (Hall, 1990, p. 394) “identity is a matter of becoming as well a being.... …. identities come from somewhere, have histories. But like everything which is historical they undergo constant transformation. Far from being externally fixed in some essentialised past, they are subject to the continuous 'play' of history, culture and power” (Hall, 1990, p. 394). “identities are never completed ”, are “always in the process of formation” (Hall, 1991b, p.47) Prepared by Claire Kelly
Constructing Femininity/ Womanhood What do the Ginsburg & Poulsen readings illustrate about gender identity? Example 1 - Poulsen : “ human rights” vs. “traditional” narratives > how is femininity constructed differently? Example 2 – Ginsburg : “pro-life” vs. “pro-choice” narratives > how is femininity constructed differently? that which constitutes “doing woman” can be differently constructed Prepared by Claire Kelly
“…. concepts of gender are being redefined by female activists if life story narratives and collective movements” (Ginsburg, p. 436) “feminism offered new resources with which to understand and frame their lives” (Ginsburg, p. 428) “For women, the NGOs offer the opportunity of entering other possible lives …” (Poulsen, p. 40) Constructing Femininity / Womanhood Prepared by Claire Kelly
Constructing Masculinity/Manhood Prepared by Claire Kelly Insert: images of two different ways of “doing masculinity” to illustrate hegemonic and more marginal forms. “Black Beulah” by Zanele Muholi exhibitions/season2006/season2006.html exhibitions/season2006/season2006.html vs A cover from Men’s Health Magazine
Hegemonic Masculinity Hegemony : “cultural dynamic by which a group claims or sustains a leading position in social life” (Connell 1995, p. 77) Hegemonic masculinities : “configuration(s) of gender practice which embody the currently accepted answer to the legitimacy of patriarchy, which guarantees or is taken for granted to guarantee the dominant position of men and the subordination of women” (Connell 1995, p. 77 “reflects, supports and actively cultivates gender inequality (male domination), but it also allows elite males to extend their influence and control over lesser status males…” (Jansen, p. 193) Multiple masculinities Prepared by Claire Kelly
Masculinity & Violence: Sport & War Insert: Nike advertisement with Wayne Rooney, with English cross in red across his chest wallpapers.com/wallpapers/rooney_2_1600x1200.jp g wallpapers.com/wallpapers/rooney_2_1600x1200.jp g Insert: the “Pump up video” that was made for the Upper St. Clair football team before the WPIAL AAAA Championships game at Heinz Field. Prepared by Claire Kelly
Masculinity and Violence: Sport & War Insert: picture of t-shirt depicting “the score”after the death of Osama Bin Laden - USA & Obama “scored” 1 and Osama “scored” 0. ats_mugs_tshirts_for_sale.html ats_mugs_tshirts_for_sale.html eadtshirts.html eadtshirts.html Political-T-Shirt/dp/B004Z9PGI8 Political-T-Shirt/dp/B004Z9PGI8 Prepared by Claire Kelly
Masculinity and Violence: Sport & War The conflation of sport and war though metaphor Sport : “..homosocial institution through which hegemonic masculinity has been constituted…” (Jansen, p. 195) & “institutionalised mechanism for cultivating resistance to gender equality.” (para Jansen, p. 196) How sport rituals cultivate male dominance : a)by linking maleness to highly valued visible skills b)by linking maleness with the positively sanctioned use of aggression, force and violence (Jansen, p. 197) Prepared by Claire Kelly
Extra references Connel, R.W. (1995) The social organisation of masculinity. In Masculinities. Berkley: University of California Press. pp Hall, S. (1990) Cultural identity and disapora. In J. Rutherford, J. (Ed.) Identity, culture, difference (pp ). London: Lawrence and Wishart. Prepared by Claire Kelly