Have you
ever been judged by society for your actions or for how you choose to present
yourself? Are you a female who takes
part in “boy” activities or a male who takes part in “girl” activities? Why do I ask?
Well it’s because I have been judged and have not been taken seriously
when I tell people what I do for a summer job.
Gender
socialization is everywhere. Societal
norms have been put in place in respects to gender and how male and females
should walk, talk, look and act according to their genders. Or how there are certain jobs or sports and
that only males or only females should take part in them. This is what is referred to as “doing boy” or
“doing girl”.
William
Corsaro’s theory looks at how gender is learned through peer interactions and as
well through the interactions we have with our parents. Parents tend to talk differently to their
sons than they do to their daughters as a way to help guide them in the right
direction to fit into the norms that surround gender.
Is this
right? Should we be told how we should
act, look, dress or what things we should do and what not to do?... Of course
not, we all have the right to be who we are and do what we feel comfortable
with. I’m a farm girl and as most of you
are probably thinking; farming is something males do. Not often do you hear of a girl famer.
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All my
life I have grown up on a vineyard and have experienced the hard work that is
put into keeping farms well groomed and maintaining great quality grapes. Growing older and being busy with school I
only work on my family farm during the four months that I am off in the summer
where I usually drive tractor. Not only
am I a girl that farms, but also drive tractor?
Sure am going against those society norms aren’t I?
Everyday
or most days people drive by one of our farms and catch a glimpse that there is
a girl, me driving that tractor that is working up the ground and they stop and
stare or drive by very slow. Is that
what our world is, people being so surprised that a girl can drive a tractor
that pulls some kind of equipment behind?
Apparently, because the responses don’t stop there. You always run into people you haven’t seen
in a while or your parents introduce you to an old friend who is always
interested in what you are up to in your life.
Of course because I am proud of what I do I tell people that I drive
tractor. Don’t get me wrong there are
some people who are shocked, but at the same time think that it is great and
others who are just in disbelief and think that it is not a suitable job for
me. Who’s to say that I should not do
this kind of work? If I can succeed in
this type of work than why not do it and prove that I am capable of a hard days
work and that I don’t back down just because people do not believe that I do it.
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Judith
Baker talks about the difference between gender performance and gender
performativity. I am not putting on a
performance just to show people I can do a so called “man’s job”, it is not an
act. I do it because it is my families
business, I grew up learning how to farm and have dealt with the stereotypes
and I do it because a farm girl is WHO I AM!
Don’t be
afraid to be who you are or not do what you feel comfortable with. People’s opinions don’t matter. At the end of
the day you are probably the one who is free being yourself and are happy with
what you do and they are probably the ones who deep down are not happy with how
their life is shaping to be.
“You can
take the girl out of the farm, but not the farm out of the girl”.
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| Me In My Natural Habitat |
Hey Jessie!!
ReplyDeleteI have a strong connection to your story. No, I don't drive tractors for a living- but I have driven them in the past- but it is around me and sports. When I was a child I didn't know the difference between being a "girl" or "boy". I was asked what sport I wanted to play at a young age and I picked hockey since that was what my brother and dad played. I was signed up for a majority boys’ team and was normally the only girl on the team, and it didn’t bother me. I was also involved in girl guides so I experienced both "girl" activities and "boy" activities. Around my trailer park I do a lot of work and for this I have been called the "perfect son." I take this as a complement but why couldn't I be called the perfect daughter- after all I am a girl. The thing I find funniest about this is then I tell them I play rugby for my university and they truly believe a should be a boy. Just because I play a physical sport doesn't mean I'm not a girl. I have learned to embrace these comments and make them motivate me. I don't know about you but I like to be a female in a male dominated area because it empowers me and makes me want to be better at what I do.
-Holly
Hi Jessie
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! I think it's awesome that you put your own spin on it, especially linking it to the controversy around gender performance. It's a shame that society has impacted us so much that it tells us what is deemed "appropriate" for us to be able to do and what is not. There should not be a label as to what boys should do and what girls should do. There should be more emphasis on doing what you love. It's clear that you've strayed away from societal expectations and ARE doing what you love. Also your closing paragraph was very empowering. "Don’t be afraid to be who you are or not do what you feel comfortable with. People’s opinions don’t matter. At the end of the day you are probably the one who is free being yourself and are happy with what you do and they are probably the ones who deep down are not happy with how their life is shaping to be". It's all about who we want ourselves to be, not what others want to be. At the end of the day it's our happiness on the line!
Hey Jessie!
ReplyDeleteI loved your blog. I loved that you connected it to your own life, but also tied in concepts about gender socialization which we focus on a lot in class. It's sad that some people avoid doing things that they love just because they are looked at in a negative light. I love that you ignore these gender stereotypes and continue living life the way you want to and doing what you love. It's people like you that will help us break away from these gender stereotypes, and even stereotypes in general!
Great connection to multiple theories throughout your blog. The blog was personal and interesting, keeping me tied into it, but also extremely informative through the theories used and can help the people reading your blog to expand their knowledge. Again, awesome blog!
Sarah