The subtopic I chose from module five to complete my photo-blog assignment was “The ‘Two Cultures’ of Childhood”. This idea states that segregation both allows and encourages boys and girls to develop separate social worlds or “cultures” characterized by different activities, interaction styles, and social rules. The text suggests that, “Children quickly develop strong gender schemas which represent ‘knowledge structures’ that guide how people perceive and organize the world as well as how they behave towards others” (1). This means the theme carries through to gender stereotypes applied to adults, including associating strength and power with men and nurturance and warmth with women.
I chose to take a photo of my little brother for this assignment, who I felt gave the perfect depiction of what it is to break the two cultures of childhood. Although he grew up surrounded by the social norms of assertiveness and aggression from other boys, my brother was interested in other things such as nurturing dolls and pretending to dress as a princess. This brings me to the first creative technique in the photo, the background. I chose to insert a football and plastic gun behind him to portray the idea of constantly being pressured into the social norms of what boys are “allowed” to engage in such as violence or aggressive sports. They symbolize the constant reminder that my brother is outside of the traditional masculinity majority.
Another creative technique used to portray the meaning of the photo was space and color. I purposefully centered him in between the two symbols of patriarchy, to convey how he stands out compared to them, which is also why he is perceived closer than those two items. I also chose to make the picture black and white to display the message that this ideology is often seen as black and white, two options. This is meant to show how it is not always just one or the other, and that there is a spectrum in between. I also used a straight-on gaze in the photo to emphasize his confidence in knowing who he is. He is not afraid, he is determined and is present for a purpose. My brother inspires me in the idea of breaking social norms about gender and how it should be normal to stray away from the two cultures of childhood.
Work Cited
Rellihan, Heather, et al. Introduction to Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies: Interdisciplinary and Intersectional Approaches. Oxford University Press, 2018.
“The ‘Two Cultures’ of Childhood”
1 comment:
From: Maiyah K
The two culture mindset is forced on a child almost immediately after they enter the world. From then on it follows them all throughout life and they are expected to adhere to these scripts. I feel that this photo is a perfect representation of a person who was fearless enough to break the script to just do what makes them happy. I easily made the connection about boy's gender norms as soon as I noticed the football and gun beside him. I also connected the use of the black and white filter as representation of only having two choices. The two toys also have a darker color to them and the light in the picture is centered over the boy in the picture who is smiling. My first thought was that this was a representation of him overcoming the social rules that may have felt like weights to him and the light shows his freedom from them. The use of the straight-on gaze was used perfectly to show his confidence.
It is odd to me that the two culture mindset frowns upon a boy wanting to be nurturing or warm as if sports and violence are the only two characteristic that can make a man. I feel society should encourage the exploration of finding one's self no matter what they want to do.
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