alexander

QFJ&D:

1.      How are the concepts of male/female and masculine/feminine restrictive for all people? Give examples.

I believe that throughout our lives we are always restricted but we just may not notice it sometimes because this is the only way we know and when we are younger we are brought up in these constructs. For example sports are mainly for boys, girls wear makeup and play with dolls, when are younger then as we grow up boys must be masculine and girls should not wear baggy clothes but dress nicely and look attractive.

2.      How do the student narratives reinforce gender stereotypes and gender as embodied?

These student narratives show the difference between boys and girls because of the activities they talk about. For example in “Mr.Football”, he is portrayed by a girl and a big muscular man because this is what all footballers are seen as. Then this is contrasted with saying that he got injured through a jellyfish sting which meant he couldn’t play anymore. For the reader this then goes against the idea of him being strong but because he is a footballer everyone agrees it must have been a very bad injury rather than telling him to get on with it. I believe that in some ways that if a big muscular boy does something feminine they are less likely to be called gay than if a normal boy did it because it almost becomes cool if they do it, due to it being something new and completely opposite to their character.

A&E

1.      What significance trans pedagogy hold for everyone within a composition class, according to Alexander? In other words, what can “normally” gendered students gain from exposure to trans theory in their composition classrooms? Does this significance hold true for every minority discourse we have read in class?

I believe that trans pedagogy allows the two gender contrasts to interact and make them less obvious. I also believe that if someone is transgendered they do not see society as being constructed so they do not judge people on their actions but they just feel as though everyone should be who they want a lot more than other people. I believe the trans pedagogy has many positives however I also believe that some constructs must remain otherwise we have a very unfamiliar society that what we originally know.