Adolescent Masculinity Homophobia and Violence

QUOTES

I chose three quotes to analyze from the article. The first quote is related to the author’s analysis of media reports on random school shootings from 1982 to 2001. “We found a striking pattern from the stories about the boys who committed the violence: Nearly all had stories of being constantly bullied, beat up, and most significantly for this analysis, “ gay baited.” Their stories of cultural marginalization “based on criteria for adequate gender performance, specifically the enactment of codes of masculinity.” I think that this analysis shows how culture affects people’s behavior. In this article the authors hypothesized that boys who were involved in school shootings were influenced by white middle class republican values which focus on masculinity and protecting one’s masculine characteristics. This is why teenagers who bully others humiliate them about gender and sexuality related issues. In turn boys who feel insulted want revenge and choose violence to teach them a lesson and prove that they are “men”.

  The authors also focus on why white boys are more likely than African American boys to randomly open fire. My second quote from the article is “White boys who are bullied are supposed to be able to embody independence, and manly stoicism. In fact, the very search for such collective rectories can be seen as indication of weakness. Thus we might hypothesize that the cultured marginalization of the boys who did commit school shootings extended to feeling that they had no other recourse.” White boys who were bullied did not have the familial or friend support to resist to bullying and also they do not have a group like women, gays and lesbians, black students and their support.

My last quote from the article is about why some boys turn to violence over bullying and “not others who have had similar experiences.” Important factors are the dynamics of local culture, the responsive of adults and institutions, and the dynamics of their same-sex and cross-sex friendships. This allows us to understand what led some boys to commit these terrible acts and what enabled other boys to develop resistance to daily homophobic bullying. According to the article some boys can represent themselves as men to a same sex or opposite sex friend. Also they might get support from their families and school authorities. These variables and other copying strategies must further research to help us understand how gender and violence are related.   

'Thigh Gap': New Teen Body Obsession?

A new body trend is apparently becoming an obsession among teenage girls.

It's the thigh gap - a clear space, or gap, that can be seen between the thighs when a girl is standing with her knees together. Some runway models have it, and teen girls want it.

"Good Morning America" sat down with four high school juniors from a New Jersey Chapter of Students Against Destructive Decisions to discuss this latest trend.

The four girls told ABC News' Juju Chang that they all had friends that were intent on achieving the thigh gap.

RELATED: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show: Models Rock Lingerie on the Runway
Emily Rozansky told Chang that, for many teens, the thigh gap symbolized "the ideal body shape."
Social media sites such as Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter have devotees who flood the zone with images of thigh gaps, bony collarbones and confidence-crushing messages disguised as "inspiration" for staying thin.
Some of the most popular pictures showcase very thin girls with protruding hip bones and a thigh gap.
The teens told Chang that the sites make them feel they have to conform.
Angela DePalma, 16, said: "I see those pictures on Tumblr and stuff and I think that wow, like, they look so good. And then I realize how unhealthy that is."
Tumblr says it discourages blogs that actively promote or glorify self-harm.
According to teen psychologist Barbara Greenberg, statistics show that 80 percent of girls dislike their bodies by the time they are 17 years old. That, combined with a tendency to overshare, makes teen girls vulnerable to even the most subtle messages.
MORE: Victoria's Secret Models Share Secrets Behind Their Toned Bodies
A quick online search brings up page after page of thigh gap inspiration photos and supporters. Experts say the images alone can lead to self-destructive behavior, especially since the thigh gap is, for most girls, an unrealistic standard of beauty.
Greenberg said teens who were pursuing a thigh gap were "setting themselves up for not only an unattainable goal but for an unsustainable goal.
"Even if they reach it, it's going to be very hard for them to maintain it," she said.
MORE: Women Seek Plastic Surgery to Get Kate Middleton's Nose
Surprisingly, some girls' motivation to have a thigh gap isn't to make themselves more desirable to boys. The New Jersey students told Chang that some boys don't even notice it.
It's strictly a girl thing, affecting popularity and status, they said.
Also Read

Question

Is there any feminist version of princess movies before Brave

Cinderella ate my child and brave

Disney princesses are a big part of culture because we see it everywhere. I am a girl and I get called a princess at home. I love princess movies and stories. When I was younger I liked to watch the old and new princess movies and read books written for YA fans about princesses. The writer talks about how she doesn’t want her own daughter Daisy to believe that a prince would come and make her very happy.  Parents call their girls princess and buy them princess toys or let them watch princess tales, not knowing that this can change their girls’ minds about how they must feel and look. The teacher does the same thing too by telling the girls how nice they are or how neat their homework is but complimenting boys on being hardworking and good problem solvers. What we expect from girls affect their development and behavior. If we think that they can be anything they want to be and support them for doing this they wouldn’t focus on irrelevant things like being thin and pretty and having a boyfriend. Instead they would understand that developing their potential is very important and they would focus on both academic and other activities. When they realize that they can achieve their goals like supporting themselves or their families and having a meaningful life they can show that they can do many things. But if we don’t do this and we ask girls to be submissive and depend on men and expect them to focus on being perfect and pleasing everybody they can’t fully develop and they always need other peoples or men’s support in life. What should we do about it? We should be very careful about how we talk and interact with children. We should encourage them to read and to play sports and be active in their community by helping other people. This will help them to participate in school and society in a meaningful way.  In the movie Brave Merida is not a typical princess.  She has goals and she can achieve anything that she puts her mind to.  I think that we should have more movies like Brave for girls and boys.

what i think i am going to do for the final

I think I am going to something with young adult books or young adult tv shows. I know parents don't really want there teens reading some of the YA books or watching some of the young adult tv shows. I will ask the question why don't parents let there teens read or watch tv shows that are for young adult.  I want to work by myself then in a group.

feminism

feminism

outline

I am going to media matters in the group.

Media Matters - Outline

Media provides models of appropriate behavior and attitudes. For example, media defines appropriate roles of men and women, parents and children, and defines what is success or criminal activity.

Media determines what we think and what we believe. The accumulation of media images suggests what is ‘normal’ and what is ‘deviant.’

Media normalizes specific social relations and determines the range of acceptable behaviors.

According to the Marxist theory, ruling class imposes their worldview on subordinated classes. Therefore subordinated classes who accept the worldview of ruling classes have false consciousness, because the worldview they adopt represents the interests of ruling classes.

According to Gramsci, hegemony is exercised through cultural leadership and consent is won. Ruling classes seek to have their worldview accepted by all members of society as the universal way of thinking. Media helps the powerful classes exercise their cultural leadership.

Ruling classes dominates all institutions in society including media forces. They use media tools such as TV, newspapers and internet to impose their beliefs on society which represents their interests.  

However, it does not mean that media as a powerful tool is always used by the powerful classes. Media has also power to provide power to powerless classes. Media should not be seen only as an agent of powerful.

 up.

I am doing Media Matters in the group. 

Media Matters - Outline

Media provides models of appropriate behavior and attitudes. For example, media defines appropriate roles of men and women, parents and children, and defines what is success or criminal activity.

Media determines what we think and what we believe. The accumulation of media images suggests what is ‘normal’ and what is ‘deviant.’

Media normalizes specific social relations and determines the range of acceptable behaviors.

According to the Marxist theory, ruling class imposes their worldview on subordinated classes. Therefore subordinated classes who accept the worldview of ruling classes have false consciousness, because the worldview they adopt represents the interests of ruling classes.

According to Gramsci, hegemony is exercised through cultural leadership and consent is won. Ruling classes seek to have their worldview accepted by all members of society as the universal way of thinking. Media helps the powerful classes exercise their cultural leadership.

Ruling classes dominates all institutions in society including media forces. They use media tools such as TV, newspapers and internet to impose their beliefs on society which represents their interests.  

However, it does not mean that media as a powerful tool is always used by the powerful classes. Media has also power to provide power to powerless classes. Media should not be seen only as an agent of powerful classes.