In our society we have normative ideas regarding masculinity and femininity (what it means to be a man or woman, what that entails, etc.), and we’ll discuss this in more detail next Monday, but I wanted to go ahead and send out some comments about writing assignment 3 to help you think about things in advance. For this third writing assignment, I want you to find a song or a print advertisement that you can turn in a digital copy of (NOT a video) that challenges mainstream, typical notions of gender or sexuality. In other words, find a cultural artifact (song or advertisement) that presents an alternative vision for gender and/or sexuality. DO NOT make the mistake of picking a song or advertisement that simply reinforces and expresses traditional notions of masculinity or femininity or sexuality (For instance, DON’T pick a song in which women are sexually objectified or in which men are narrated as breadwinners or sexually aggressive and try and tell me that this somehow challenges the status quo). What I’m saying will likely make even more sense once you’ve watched the assigned documentary and we’ve had our final lecture in class Monday. Also, I want to point out that many times songs and advertisements will both challenge AND reinforce standard notions of masculinity and femininity and/or sexuality. If this is the case with your advertisement or song, then discuss this issue. BUT, at the very least, find some cultural artifact (song or advertisement) that represents a “challenge” to these dominant cultural notions we’ll be discussing in class…something that pushes back against, questions, subverts them, etc. Some of you may find it difficult to select an appropriate song or advertisement. Well, that’s kind of the point, and I think clearly demonstrates something about our society. Of course, it is not at all the case that what I’m asking you to do is impossible. There are all sorts of groups, institutions, and subcultures out in the world presenting challenges to patriarchy or hegemonic masculinity (new term that’s introduced, in particular, in the handout on Canvas for the Mask You Live In documentary ). ***Also, to be clear, please do not write to me asking if the song or advertisement you have selected is appropriate or ‘good.’ Part of the challenge of the assignment is for you to select what you think is appropriate based on the criteria I’ve outlined and then justify that selection through your writing.***
Hide
