Analysis Of Monique Wittig's Gays Are Not Women

Martha Irvine, a graduate of the University of Michigan published an article titled Queer Evolution which talked about how the word “Queer” itself has evolved into the mainstream. Originally the word’s definition was to describe something as odd or weird. Society utilized the word “Queer” as an insult to the LGBTQ community. As more sexual orientations are being discovered, “Queer” became a more accepted word in the gay community in order to make things simpler. Irvine’s essay showed that whatever word we use, can affect a person depending on the intention, and the tone of how it’s being said. Irvine’s essay is very similar to Deborah Tannen’s essay You’re Wearing That which talks about the relationship between mother and daughter and how words have established expectations for women based on their appearance and behavior. Another essay that well connects with Tannen and Irvine’s articles is a section from a book written by Michael Kimmel titled Bros Before Hos’’: The Guy Code. Kimmel talks about “The Guy Code”, rules that a man should always follow in order to be considered a real man. Words are the reason why these standards have been established for all genders and sexualities. The relationships between parents and children would be better if words were replaced, which would abolish the expectations that society has for men and women.

Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, and the documentary, The Mask You Live In, both stress that being a man isn't always about showing power, physical dominance and violence like how society has taught men all their lives. Both texts suggest that being a real man is about showing emotion and protecting the ones you love and realizing it alright to be vulnerable at times.

When someone is thinking of a man, what do they think? Strong? Brave? That’s what most people think; in reality that is a very false image. In “Bros Before Hos: The Guy Code,” Michael Kimmel, talks about what it means to be a man and what it takes to be a man in today’s world. Men are pressured into what they “should” be. If they don’t follow certain unwritten rules, which include: not asking for directions, not giving up, not showing fear, or any signs of emotional weakness, such as tears; they are considered less than a man, a wimp. A real man must be aggressive and brave, he must defend his territory: status, family, possessions. Men blindly follow the Guy Code, they must comply in order to be part of the pack, to fit in.

1. In “Many Boys Today Define Masculinity Negatively”, the author Leonard Sax writes about how the meaning of masculinity has become redefined in a negative way. Sax states that the phrase “Be a man!” didn’t always mean to not be feminine, the phrase originally meant to be courteous, respectful, and competent. The original intention of this phrase to have boys emulate the wholesome family men in popular culture but in recent years the men portrayed in pop culture have become less principled. This change in role models has led masculinity to be seen as a negative aspect in society today. Sax believes that the best solution for this issue is to give young boys the guidance they need by connecting them with gentlemen from past generations who actually learned what it meant to be a man.

The concept of masculinity has been around for an eminently long time. However, the qualifications for being

“Being a man” is an article from the English 102 Reader. The author is Theroux is very blunt when it comes to voicing his opinions on the standard stereotypes that he’s faced with as an American man. He states stereotypes are flat out stupid and in particular he hates the term “Being A Man”. He goes on to explain that the term “being a man” really upsets him and it’s completely unreasonable and unfair to men who doesn’t per say fit into the stereotype of your typical, masculine, manly man.

Society has taken the very essential feature of being a man and taken it away creating a more feminine man. The term itself almost leaves us with an image of a castrated man. (explain more what is consider a real man)

Who is to officially declare what makes a man? Who can simply imply that one has become a man? These questions can be answered with the support of three textual symbols found in the novella by Angela Johnson. The First Part Last goes into great details of how a rural teenager must take on the responsibilities of raising a child while finding his maturity as time progresses. Many symbols are given to represent such changes, for example, Johnson inserts the use of colours to show the emotions Bobby is expressing in the scene to give feeling while spray painting on a city building. "I spray black. Then red, mixed with some blue." (Johnson, 60) The use of colours is brought up again while Bobby is wishing to paint the same emotional colours all

     Ar’n’t I a Woman? Written by, Deborah Gray White shows the trials and hardships that African American Women faced during the years of the infamous plantations up to the civil war. In this book White describes how the images of “Jezebel” and the “Mammy” and how they were the most vulnerable group with the least amount of formal power in Antebellum America. She compares the life of men and women in the slave society, and how truly different they were. The roles of women are shown through the slaves’ life cycle, family life, slave society networks, and the civil war. Each of these various aspects of life are discussed very vividly in the book, and serve purpose in showing how African American

What does it mean to be a man? How does one qualify for the title? Is the term "man" simply referring to male human beings, or does it hold a greater measure of meaning in society. In order to get more insight into this subject matter, I consulted, " The Tormont Webster's Encyclopedic Dictionary". As I anticipated, the first definition for man stated as following: "An adult human being as distinguished from a female". This definition, did not surprise me, but what did ,was what followed it , it stated: A male human being endowed with such qualities as courage, strength, and fortitude, considered characteristic of manhood". To be a man in our society one must posses such qualities, along with honor, reliability and endurance. This

What makes a man, a “man”? Is it how much money he makes? The car he drives? The life he lives? Or, the amount of “Masculinity” that he shows? These are some of the stereotypical question that becomes the ideas of what men should have or strive to achieve. In Post-Princess Models of Gender: The New Man in Disney/Pixar by Ken Gillam and Shannon R. Wooden, they bring forth the ideas/thought of what the characteristic of men should be, by the overly influential control Disney and Pixar have on us and our future generation. Similar to what Matthew Immergut, in his article Manscaping: The Tangle of Nature, Culture and the Male Body, they both share ideas on the thought of man. The argument addressed in the question is either the way we view masculinity should be changed or not to determine us as men. In which the answer is, yes it should. Male or man, is a gender identity which show/ categorize, us separate from our female counterpart, Female or woman. But then are criticized on their place a “males” by getting in situation the emasculate them. Just because men independent or allowing for help, either overly sensitive or possess a lack of emotion, or whether or not “he” shaves his body or not should deter what the worlds thought on his masculinity

“Be a man”, is a commonly used phrase that hold multiple assumptions about the idealized masculinity. The connotations for this phrase oozes ruggedness, toughness, and apathy. Similar themes were discussed in the article, “Masculinity as Homophobia” by Michael Kimmel. The author discusses the characterization of masculinity and its social implications.

While at a club you notice someone attractive walk by, so what can you do? You can talk to them, but then you’d look creepy. You could just stare but that’s even creepier. What about buy them a drink? No, because then you’d look desperate. Why is it so challenging to just start a conversation? Maybe because if you are a female you must act a certain way to be a proper feminist and if you are a male somehow you would be offending her right to be a woman. A possible solution is to change the feminist beliefs and their judgmental ways while also believing in gender quality instead of feminism.

Throughout today’s society, almost every aspect of someone’s day is based whether or not he or she fits into the “norm” that has been created. Specifically, masculine and feminine norms have a great impact that force people to question “am I a true man or woman?” After doing substantial research on the basis of masculine or feminine norms, it is clear that society focuses on the males being the dominant figures. If males are not fulfilling the masculine role, and females aren’t playing their role, then their gender identity becomes foggy, according to their personal judgment, as well as society’s.

Standards of masculinity vary from time to time, from culture to culture. However, masculinity always defines itself as superior and different from femininity. For example, gay men and househusbands exemplify "subordinate" masculinities in our culture. They are not considered to be "real