Fighting Gender Norms

From: Ana 

Jiu-Jitsu, A combative sport for defeating an armed and un-armored opponent in which one uses no weapons, only their body, and strength. The photograph shows a female Jiu-jitsu fighter, named Karen. I chose my friend Karen as a model figure for the “two cultures” of childhood because she represents out of norm gender expectations. In the reading, it states “segregation both allows and encourages girls and boys to develop separate social worlds or "cultures" characterized by different activities, interaction styles, and social rules” (Rudman, Glick 59). In the photo, Karen is shown looking down at her blue belt, showing off a belt she has trained to earn for months. Training has ultimately shown Karen’s peers she is a strong and independent woman. Karen takes up the height of the frame to show that she has ultimately trained to achieve a blue belt that was difficult to earn and the words on the wall stating “fearless” signifies she is breaking through society's expectations of her gender. Unfortunately, societal influences will always find a way to cause her to feel trapped, which is shown by the width of the frame and the metal fence in the background. Karen wants to gain more power, but gender expectations restrict her. Society can question a woman who trains in jiu-jitsu as unappealing because of her body changes. It might be unattractive if a female athlete is different from a CoverGirl on a magazine. A female jiu-jitsu fighter might have her fingers calloused rather than perfect manicured nails, messy hair and odor replaced by sweat rather than a heavenly fragrance smell. In the reading it goes on to say, “Gender Schemas associate maleness and femaleness with myriad different attributes, behaviors, and objects definition "masculine" as rougher, tougher and more active and feminine as nicer, softer and more passive” (Rudman, Glick 60) and later associating strength and power with men and warmth and nurturance with women. The black mat signifies cultural aspects, as Karen looks down upon (society) on what the female role is meant to be, delicate rather than muscular. Karen demonstrates she too can do what boys do by tightening her belt as much as she can, securing her spot she gained to attain. Karen’s uniform is a symbol of commitment to persevere. When life gets difficult, she is setting the foundation for her success rather than listening to what others have to say, on how a female should behave and dress and what she should and should not participate in; Every time she steps onto the mat she proves she is not too small or too weak. Whether she is too “muscular” or fit, she values her body for what it can do.

Work Cited

Rudman, Laurie A., and Peter Glick. _The Social Psychology of Gender: How Power and Intimacy Shape Gender Relations_, The Guilford Press, 2015, pp. 59–63.