Theory Matters - Blog Post #2
“Take all the rules away. How can we live if we don’t change?” – Beyonce
Growing up in the south, I was taught that ladies are supposed to talk, sit, and do things a certain way and men are supposed to have their set of rules they follow. However, today gender norms and rules are constantly being challenged. There are some women who are the bread winners of the household and some men who are stay at home dads and people are respectable of
their decisions. However, hell is given communities (such as black, LGBTQ+, etc) who are understanding and realizing how oppressed these norms are and taking a stance for social change. In this paper, I will specifically be discussing gender trouble and why theory matters.
As I mentioned earlier, much of what we learn and know comes from our childhood. We learn norms and rules through our parents/guardians, family, school, friends, and media. In Resser’s article Masculinities in Theory (2010), he states, “The cowboy’s popularity as American cultural icon means that he represents an ideal of masculinity that appeals to so many boys that it effectively becomes an American masculinity” (pg. 23). Resser continues to highlight how male superheroes appeal to many young boys and grown men due to it being the foundation to American masculinity. Like male superheroes, Disney princesses and Barbie represents American femininity for young girls. I remember working at a daycare during high school and there were twins, a boy and girl. The boy used to bring power rangers and Lego's to school every day and his sister brought a Barbie doll. One day the boy brought a Barbie doll instead and the mom said to us, “We tried to take it from him, but he wasn’t having it. So why not play with Barbie? She never hurt anybody.” As time passed, the parents begin letting the boy hair grow and him and his sister eventually looked like sisters. The twins’ parents let them choose their path and make decisions on their own even at their young age. I saw the twins about two years ago in Target and the boy had one side of
his hair shaved off and had rainbow nail polish to compliment his style. I reference this story because these parents did not try to force gender norms or rules on these twins and allowed them to be who they wanted.
Also, I enjoy seeing and watching supportive movies that challenge gender norms. The Netflix series, Money Heist, is about a group of robbers who are led by a criminal mastermind in attempt to pull off the biggest heist in the Royal Mint of Spain bank. Initially, there are two women in the group of robbers, Tokyo and Nairobi. However, Tokyo and Nairobi are not your average
“woman.” They question authority, make decisions without consulting everyone, not afraid to fail, young, and just bad bit*ches all around. In one scene, the bodyguard in the bank harass Tokyo and Nairobi and says why are you all not home raising kids or playing with Barbie dolls. Money Heist does a great job challenging gender norms and highlighting feminism. In Vavrus section of What is This “Post-“in Postracial, Postfeminist…(Fill in the Blank), it states “…however, post feminism asserts that “feminism actually harms women, overall, because it gives women unrealistic expectations – that we can ‘have it all’” (pg. 223). However, I am not sure if I agree to this because when I continue to be a part and witness feminism at different levels (at work, school, movies, TV shows, etc), it amplifies my desire to push harder for equality and improve my work ethic. I believe
that feminism has this dangerous connotation to it which threatens the cultural norms.
Nonetheless, it’s evident that intersectionality show how underrepresented groups are oppressed and have a difficult time going through societal systems; and being black and transgender does not make it any better. The story of CeCe McDonald demonstrates the reality of a transgender woman of color who was simply defending herself after being attack by a racist
homophobic white man. In Fisher’s book, Terrorizing Gender, Fisher used Critical Race Theory and intersectionality to argue that McDonald’s choice of gender threatened her right to use self-defense and how media and the state fortify the justice system color and gender blindness while trying to protect America’s whiteness (pg. 87-88). There are numerous of stories such as Brandon Teena that shows how the system has failed transgender people. It makes me wonder how many more invisible stories that are out there, and we will never know due to the conservative nature of the justice system. Specifically, as a black woman, I see how we must do our own investigation and detective work when an injustice occurs in our community due to the lack of respect and acknowledgement we receive from the “trained” individuals. Intersectionality matters because it
captures the dynamics and continuing patterns of discrimination and disadvantage due to race, class, and gender. Critical Race Theory matters because it demonstrates how race is influenced by the creation of laws and how the law continues to sustain racism (Arce, 2021).
Furthermore, celebrities and influencers have taken a stand to challenge not only gender norms but society norms in general. Singer Lizzo challenges the status quo by embracing body positivity and showing off her voluptuous curves. Lizzo uses her platform to advocate for body diversity and showing how beauty is determined by size. Rapper and actor Jaden Smith also
challenge gender norms through fashion. He is known to make statements wearing dresses, skirts, and expressed his intentions on making life easier for gender fluid individuals. Since coming out as nonbinary last year, Demi Lovato mentioned that she questioned her gender identity ever since she was a child. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Lovato expressed “There might be a time where I identify as trans. I don’t know what this looks like for me. There might be a time where I identify
as non-binary and gender nonconforming my entire life. Or maybe there’s a period of time when I get older that I identify as a woman, I don’t know what that looks like, but for me, in this moment right now, this how I identify” (McNab, 2021). The immense pressure that is constantly on gender fluid and the transgender community further explains it how deeply rooted these gender norms and society norms are. As an advocate for social justice and representativeness, I believe the societal
norms should be taken away if it’s not willing to be altered to fit today’s standard. How can we go through life without fulfilling our purpose if we are limited to follow hegemonic rules and norms that were built to further the white man but not us all? How can we promote individuality, intersectionality, diversity, and inclusion if we are not willing to emphasize change? How can we be one Nation with liberty and justice for all if “all” is only referring to the those who are accustomed to traditional and binary norms? Therefore, theory indeed matters.
Growing up in the south, I was taught that ladies are supposed to talk, sit, and do things a certain way and men are supposed to have their set of rules they follow. However, today gender norms and rules are constantly being challenged. There are some women who are the bread winners of the household and some men who are stay at home dads and people are respectable of
their decisions. However, hell is given communities (such as black, LGBTQ+, etc) who are understanding and realizing how oppressed these norms are and taking a stance for social change. In this paper, I will specifically be discussing gender trouble and why theory matters.
As I mentioned earlier, much of what we learn and know comes from our childhood. We learn norms and rules through our parents/guardians, family, school, friends, and media. In Resser’s article Masculinities in Theory (2010), he states, “The cowboy’s popularity as American cultural icon means that he represents an ideal of masculinity that appeals to so many boys that it effectively becomes an American masculinity” (pg. 23). Resser continues to highlight how male superheroes appeal to many young boys and grown men due to it being the foundation to American masculinity. Like male superheroes, Disney princesses and Barbie represents American femininity for young girls. I remember working at a daycare during high school and there were twins, a boy and girl. The boy used to bring power rangers and Lego's to school every day and his sister brought a Barbie doll. One day the boy brought a Barbie doll instead and the mom said to us, “We tried to take it from him, but he wasn’t having it. So why not play with Barbie? She never hurt anybody.” As time passed, the parents begin letting the boy hair grow and him and his sister eventually looked like sisters. The twins’ parents let them choose their path and make decisions on their own even at their young age. I saw the twins about two years ago in Target and the boy had one side of
his hair shaved off and had rainbow nail polish to compliment his style. I reference this story because these parents did not try to force gender norms or rules on these twins and allowed them to be who they wanted.
Also, I enjoy seeing and watching supportive movies that challenge gender norms. The Netflix series, Money Heist, is about a group of robbers who are led by a criminal mastermind in attempt to pull off the biggest heist in the Royal Mint of Spain bank. Initially, there are two women in the group of robbers, Tokyo and Nairobi. However, Tokyo and Nairobi are not your average
“woman.” They question authority, make decisions without consulting everyone, not afraid to fail, young, and just bad bit*ches all around. In one scene, the bodyguard in the bank harass Tokyo and Nairobi and says why are you all not home raising kids or playing with Barbie dolls. Money Heist does a great job challenging gender norms and highlighting feminism. In Vavrus section of What is This “Post-“in Postracial, Postfeminist…(Fill in the Blank), it states “…however, post feminism asserts that “feminism actually harms women, overall, because it gives women unrealistic expectations – that we can ‘have it all’” (pg. 223). However, I am not sure if I agree to this because when I continue to be a part and witness feminism at different levels (at work, school, movies, TV shows, etc), it amplifies my desire to push harder for equality and improve my work ethic. I believe
that feminism has this dangerous connotation to it which threatens the cultural norms.
Nonetheless, it’s evident that intersectionality show how underrepresented groups are oppressed and have a difficult time going through societal systems; and being black and transgender does not make it any better. The story of CeCe McDonald demonstrates the reality of a transgender woman of color who was simply defending herself after being attack by a racist
homophobic white man. In Fisher’s book, Terrorizing Gender, Fisher used Critical Race Theory and intersectionality to argue that McDonald’s choice of gender threatened her right to use self-defense and how media and the state fortify the justice system color and gender blindness while trying to protect America’s whiteness (pg. 87-88). There are numerous of stories such as Brandon Teena that shows how the system has failed transgender people. It makes me wonder how many more invisible stories that are out there, and we will never know due to the conservative nature of the justice system. Specifically, as a black woman, I see how we must do our own investigation and detective work when an injustice occurs in our community due to the lack of respect and acknowledgement we receive from the “trained” individuals. Intersectionality matters because it
captures the dynamics and continuing patterns of discrimination and disadvantage due to race, class, and gender. Critical Race Theory matters because it demonstrates how race is influenced by the creation of laws and how the law continues to sustain racism (Arce, 2021).
Furthermore, celebrities and influencers have taken a stand to challenge not only gender norms but society norms in general. Singer Lizzo challenges the status quo by embracing body positivity and showing off her voluptuous curves. Lizzo uses her platform to advocate for body diversity and showing how beauty is determined by size. Rapper and actor Jaden Smith also
challenge gender norms through fashion. He is known to make statements wearing dresses, skirts, and expressed his intentions on making life easier for gender fluid individuals. Since coming out as nonbinary last year, Demi Lovato mentioned that she questioned her gender identity ever since she was a child. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Lovato expressed “There might be a time where I identify as trans. I don’t know what this looks like for me. There might be a time where I identify
as non-binary and gender nonconforming my entire life. Or maybe there’s a period of time when I get older that I identify as a woman, I don’t know what that looks like, but for me, in this moment right now, this how I identify” (McNab, 2021). The immense pressure that is constantly on gender fluid and the transgender community further explains it how deeply rooted these gender norms and society norms are. As an advocate for social justice and representativeness, I believe the societal
norms should be taken away if it’s not willing to be altered to fit today’s standard. How can we go through life without fulfilling our purpose if we are limited to follow hegemonic rules and norms that were built to further the white man but not us all? How can we promote individuality, intersectionality, diversity, and inclusion if we are not willing to emphasize change? How can we be one Nation with liberty and justice for all if “all” is only referring to the those who are accustomed to traditional and binary norms? Therefore, theory indeed matters.
Works Cited
Arce, Julissa. “What is ‘Critical Race Theory’ and Why it Matters to Latinos.” UNIDOSUS Blog, 26 August 2021, https://www.unidosus.org/blog/2021/08/26/what-is-critical-race-theory-and-why-it-matters-to-latinos/. Accessed 3 October 2021.
Fisher, Mia. Terrorizing Gender: Transgender Visibility and the Surveillance Practices of the U.S. Security State. Nebraska Press, 2019.
McNab, Kaitlyn. “Demi Lovato is on a ‘Forever’ Gender Journey.” Teen Vogue, 20 August 2021,
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/demi-lovato-is-on-a-forever-gender-journey. Accessed 3 October 2021.
Resser, Todd. Masculinities in Theory. Blackell Publishing. 2010.
Squires, Catherine., Watts, Eric., Vavrus, Mary., Ono, Kent., Feyh, Kathleen., Calafell, Bernadette., and Brouwer, Daniel. “What is This ‘Post-‘ in Postracial, Postfeminist…(Fill in the Blank)?” Journal of Communication Inquiry, vol. 34, no. 3, 2010, pp 210-253.
Arce, Julissa. “What is ‘Critical Race Theory’ and Why it Matters to Latinos.” UNIDOSUS Blog, 26 August 2021, https://www.unidosus.org/blog/2021/08/26/what-is-critical-race-theory-and-why-it-matters-to-latinos/. Accessed 3 October 2021.
Fisher, Mia. Terrorizing Gender: Transgender Visibility and the Surveillance Practices of the U.S. Security State. Nebraska Press, 2019.
McNab, Kaitlyn. “Demi Lovato is on a ‘Forever’ Gender Journey.” Teen Vogue, 20 August 2021,
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/demi-lovato-is-on-a-forever-gender-journey. Accessed 3 October 2021.
Resser, Todd. Masculinities in Theory. Blackell Publishing. 2010.
Squires, Catherine., Watts, Eric., Vavrus, Mary., Ono, Kent., Feyh, Kathleen., Calafell, Bernadette., and Brouwer, Daniel. “What is This ‘Post-‘ in Postracial, Postfeminist…(Fill in the Blank)?” Journal of Communication Inquiry, vol. 34, no. 3, 2010, pp 210-253.