From Meaghann
This picture is my younger brother J.C. at a football game. You can feel the intensity and emotion of the coach just by looking at his hand gesture and stance. This clearly demonstrates how young boys are taught to be tough at a young age. They carry this life lesson with them through puberty and eventually into adulthood. J.C. is showing no emotion as his adult mentor is screaming at him directly in his face. The other teammate stands by, with his mouth slightly open, showing his reaction to the lesson being given. Both young boys are patiently standing by and watching the emotion of their coach guide them through another football play.
5 comments:
When I glanced at this photo my initial reaction was the child to the left was a girl and the child to the right was a boy. This is a classic example of gender-typing. They are both girls, but because of their accessories and wardrobe I automatically assumed that one was a girl and one was a boy. A skirt and stuffed animals in society represents a female. Another example of Suri’s femininity is her pose in the photo. It is not a casual pose; it is a pose that is most associated with females. Therefore, you see on the side of her photograph a photo of a woman wearing high heels. High heels are another object linked with femininity. Also, in the print it refers to Suri as a “sensitive sweetie.” What makes Suri sensitive and sweet? Is it the stuffed animals she is holding? Is it the skirt she is wearing? Is it her pose and facial expression? I can relate stuffed animals to being sensitive, but for the most part nothing else really portrays her as being sweet or sensitive. People just automatically associate being sensitive and sweet as characteristics of a female. In the other photo Shiloh is portrayed as being boyish. His sword, hat, and clothes are associated with masculinity. Notice there is no specific pose; it is just kind of casual. Since she is being portrayed as masculine, the photo next to Shiloh is a pair of soccer cleats. Sports are also associated with masculinity. Instead of referring to Shiloh as sweet and sensitive it refers to her as a “little terror.” Society instinctively associates masculinity with weapons and trouble.
Athletics also teach girls the same lessons. Even in "girls sports" like softball, gymnastics etc. The girls sacrafice a great deal and have to be physically and mentally tough. These are valuable life skills.
Athletics teach kids way more than how to play sports. Its important for coaches to realize that kids do look up to them and try to obey by everything they say on and off the feild. If coaches only teach kids by scaring them into doing things this is how they will learn.
Young boys learn to be strong independent men at such a young age. They are taught to be tough from their fathers and sports coaches. The toughest guy has the most power. They feel they need to have this attitdue in order to gain power in sports and just in their way of life.
Unfortunitley, people are told by the media that men are "tough" and play rough. Their actions need to also replicate this charactoristic. The coach is grasping the young football player and coaching him. You notice, there are no female players or coachs. Therefore, just emphasizing the unwillingness to change this stereotypre.
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