Sunday, September 18, 2011

Michaela Dempsey's Blog #4

In Eugene August's essay, Real Men Don't: Anti-Male Bias in English, I thought that his assumption that "while it is usually acceptable for girls to be tomboys, God forbid that he should be a sissy" (August 5-6) was relatively true. When a woman attempts to do something that is generally seen as a male trait or activity, she is typically accepted for it. After women broke free of wearing strictly skirts and dresses in the 70's, pants become an article of clothing worn by both genders. But if pants can be worn by women why can't men wear skirts and dresses? Women have been given the equality that they wanted and deserve (at least in this country) while men don't necessarily have that luxury.
      On the other hand, I disagreed with August's statement that "In the Bible, the evil one is often referred to as he," (August 11). This doesn't really support the claim that men aren't being treated fairly because while it does seem wrong to automatically assume that evil and men go together, the Bible also assumes that God is a man. If the Bible is saying that good and evil are both traits associated with men, wouldn't that cancel out and leave men equally good and evil?
      There is No Unmarked Woman by Deborah Tannen discussed how women are "marked". From types of clothing to the English language, women stand out and have extra, frivolous, additions. Tannen poses the question, "Would you feel safe entrusting your life to a doctorette?" (Tannen 3). Upon first reading this, I cringed and thought to myself that a doctorette doesn't sound professional at all. This got me thinking about how most every word that has a separate form for men and women has an addition on the women's version. I found that to be interesting and wondered why men have the simpler form.
      I disagreed with the Tannen's assumption that men had the option to bemired or unmarked, "Men can choose styles that are marked, but they don't have to," (Tannen 3). If I was a male at this conference, I think I would be slightly offended. I wouldn't want to hear that I look exactly like every other man in the room. Although it may be more apparent with women, everyone gives off a persona with what clothes they wear, how they cut their hair, or the expression they show on their face. Male or female, you are marked.

1 comment:

  1. I agree about the "doctor" and the "doctorette." I think it's strange how the suffix can have such a change in connotation.

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