From: Kara
At a young age society tells us who is it acceptable to love based on our sex and gender. Men should be these knight and shining armor. They are told “real men” are Strong silent even violent and not emotive what so ever. It’s their job to save the damsel in distress be the “white knight”. What about the boys growing up who have no interest in girls or eventually women what so ever. I am talking about boys and men who realize they are gay and them shamed by a closed minded to society that is based on fear and hate. How about women like my mother? Who grew up in this gender role that she needed to be feminine and beautiful always and that being attracted to men is what is socially acceptable. Thankfully she realized that the life she was living wasn't her own it was a life that made her look normal and fit into a culture that hates anything that doesn't fit into “social normality”. My mom recently married the women of her dreams. My step mother helped raised her children as her own and opened our eyes to what real love is meant to look like. Love is Love. Weather it is between two men, two women or one of each. I am sharing this picture I took on my mother’s wedding day with her wife so hopefully move some people into realizing gender isn’t what is important love is what is most important.
My mother Karen is on the right. My step mother Ann is on the left.
7 comments:
I love this picture! Both of them are beautiful and you can tell they're really in love. I love that they're both wearing dresses because it shows that they didn't care about fitting the prescribed wedding roles; clearly they both wanted to wear pretty dresses, so they both did, and I love that. Also both dresses are gorgeous, and from the stories you've told in class they sound like great parents and you're lucky to have them! This is one of my favorite pictures.
While I love this picture, and the story it represents, I can’t help but feel you left some questions unanswered. You asked about what happens to the men and women who don’t fit into the heterosexual narrative that permeates childhood. Well, what about them? I love the fact that your mother came to reject the societal norm expected of her to be true to herself, but I feel that you turned away from discussing any of the fallout that occurs when someone does this. The social backlash that is visited upon people who are homosexually oriented would have fit beautifully into your opening, and made the lovely result of her story more powerful.
The photographer took this picture of two women on their wedding day to emphasize the fact that societal standards are not key to happiness. Both women pictured are wearing dresses, to stress the fact that they are feminine. They both are also wearing their hair down to indicate this same detail. The sunlight shining on the women shows warmth, which can signify love, affection, or tenderness. The photographer positioned the women in the foreground and in a hot spot so that the viewer’s eyes travel directly to their faces. At a first glance, the viewer will immediately see laughter and joy. This picture relates to children because it tells them to be themselves, even if that means breaking society’s standards; if we teach children to be unique and follow their hearts, they will always find bliss.
Most of society is made up of little girls and boys who grow up thinking that girls should play with things that are pink and girly and boys should play with manlier toys such as guns. This also goes for marriage many people believe that a man and woman should be together and that’s REAL love but that’s not true. There are all kinds of love and people should be more accepting. It’s hard if you’re gay growing up in a culture where you’re afraid of what will happen if you choose to stand out and be who you really are when you know you’re at risk of losing your friends or family. As of right now as a country we are slowly becoming more accepting of gay marriages and it shows since it’s being allowed in certain states. It will take time but we’re getting there.
This photo stands out to me very much compared to many of the others that are posted. I absolutely love the fact that your mother and step mother were brave enough to reject social norms and have a beautiful, same sex marriage. Being able to stand up to society and defy the norms is a very hard and brave thing to do. We are pressured into fitting these gender roles immediately after we are born into this world. For them to be able to realize that they are happier as a lesbian couple rather than trying to fit the social norms of being heterosexual shows that they are truly honest with their feelings and emotions. I enjoy this picture and all of the emotions felt through the image. They both are wearing beautiful dresses that show off their figure and beauty. Showing them embracing really conveys the feeling of true love and happiness. The fact that it is in black and white makes it feel like am eternal feeling and makes you look at the photo in a more serious manner.
I admire this picture. Society makes a lot of people think that they were born to be the care giver, the bread winner and same sex not be accepted. I am a firm believer whatever makes me happy I do. This picture is charming, it teaches us to follow our heart but also that just because you were raised a certain way doesn't mean that's the way you have to conduct your adult life.
This picture captures the true essence of beauty and true love. Our culture shames this type of love, honestly two women in love is more acceptable than two men claiming to be in love in society but still both are looked down upon. This goes against the whole our culture in so many ways... Women are suppose to be wait to be saved by a man, have some kids and just live day to day caring for them. Society doesn't consider love in my opinion women are just suppose to do their duties, let a good fairly wealthy man to provide and protect them and reproduce. What about really finding love? Or does that matter.. This picture is wonderful!
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