From: Breana
At first glance, this photo appears to be simply one of my two children out for a walk. After learning in great detail the gender roles our society has established, I am able to pick apart this photo. The baby boy in the stroller is facing the photographer. This would show how male dominance is typically portrayed in our culture. The stroller is positioned in the center of the photo, to illustrate he is the focus. As well as his closed fist and blank gaze. This can show how boys are taught to be emotionless and strong. If there were to be any emotion on the baby's face it would appear that he is weak, emotional, or gay. Off to the right of the photo is a young girl using a pink stroller to mimic a motherly role. The pink color of the stroller is meant to be feminine, dainty, and soft. When a young girl uses a stroller and baby doll it forces her to use her imagination and to be creative. Children often mimic what they see and what they are exposed to. This young girl is walking beside her mother who is also pushing a stroller. The young girl is only seen from behind to demonstrate that the photographer is holding the position of power. The photo is taking slightly from above as well to represent the power of the photographer. The dull colors she is dressed in represent her presence in the photo, as though she is muted. Amid the bright background of the sky and trees, she is seen as less than. Placed in the distance is a bright yellow school bus. The school bus demonstrates what should be the focus of the young girl at this time in her life. As well as what should be her focus for years to come. Her position in the photo has her off to the side, not centered or aligned with the school bus. This can portray that school will not be easy for her as the baby boy is set up directly in the school bus's path.
Kanopy (Firm), et al. Tough Guise: Violence, Media, and the Crisis in Masculinity. Full version. Kanopy Streaming, 2014.
Laura Greenfield. “Girl Culture” http://v1.zonezero.com/exposiciones/fotografos/girlcult/greenfield01.html, 2001
1 comment:
From Jazmine:
I would have never looked at photos like this if it were not for this class. Like Breana, at first glance this is the most wholesome photo of a mom out for a walk with her children; how sweet! But then, taking off our societal rose colored glasses, this is definitely a photo representing power and the norm of how girls are supposed to act. There is a lot of foreshadowing with the little girl about what her future looks like. We teach girls at very young ages that being married and a mother is the most important life goal and if you are not those things, something is wrong with you or you must be fixed. I used this quote earlier in the year to explain how society teaches young girls how to be. In her book, We should All Be Feminists, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says,
“We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls, you can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you would threaten the man. Because I am female, I am expected to aspire to marriage. I am expected to make my life choices always keeping in mind that marriage is the most important. Now marriage can be a source of joy and love and mutual support but why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage and we don’t teach boys the same? We raise girls to see each other as competitors not for jobs or accomplishments, which I think can be a good thing, but for the attention of men. We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings in the way that boys are.”
Every time I hear this quote, it makes me sad because this is true. We teach girls to be prettier than the other girl so the man will want you. We tell girls that the can be successful but not more than the man. We encourage women to go head to head with one another instead of helping each other out. Men love to look out for their buddies and encourage them and help them, but woman are told that other women are competition and that women need to have the “crab in a barrel” mentality.
Post a Comment