The Jock Who Writes Poetry
Tuesday by Caitlin
In class the other day, Dr. Powers was talking about the gender connotations of being creative, and how creativity is placed in a few different categories. Let's take a look at this.
Which one of these people writes poetry?
1. The captain of the varsity football team
2. The shy, skinny boy who wears tight pants and eyeliner
3. The manager at McDonald's
Hmm...I wonder which one most people would pick? I don't want to be stereotypical, but I guess I am. I think I'd probably automatically pick the shy, skinny boy who wears tight pants and eyeliner to be the poet out of this group. And why is that? I think because being a poet and a writer is seen as a feminine thing. That's kind of weird, because traditionally, many of the famous writers of the "classics" (whoever picks those, I don't know) are men. If a man is a writer, I almost always automatically assume that they don't like sports. Why is that? I guess it's a product of my upbringing, or of the gender expectations and roles that were placed on me. So it's my impression that men who are literary are not as masculine as men that play sports. (Sorry, Dr. Powers!) I know this isn't true, but it's my first impression when I think of that. Another interesting thing, though, is that artists are thought to be more sensual than non-artists. But maybe this only applies to musicians, or filmmakers, or painters or sculptors? I'm not sure. I just know that my perceptions of gender roles as related to writers and artists are waaayyy off and outdated. Does that jock write poetry? Maybe! Either way, I don't think art, or creating art, is either masculine or feminine.
Here's a video of an artist that absolutely busts down any gender conventions we might have about art. Is he masculine? Is he feminine? Hmm...I'm not sure. But is he awesome? ABSOLUTELY! Go, Boy George!
Which one of these people writes poetry?
1. The captain of the varsity football team
2. The shy, skinny boy who wears tight pants and eyeliner
3. The manager at McDonald's
Hmm...I wonder which one most people would pick? I don't want to be stereotypical, but I guess I am. I think I'd probably automatically pick the shy, skinny boy who wears tight pants and eyeliner to be the poet out of this group. And why is that? I think because being a poet and a writer is seen as a feminine thing. That's kind of weird, because traditionally, many of the famous writers of the "classics" (whoever picks those, I don't know) are men. If a man is a writer, I almost always automatically assume that they don't like sports. Why is that? I guess it's a product of my upbringing, or of the gender expectations and roles that were placed on me. So it's my impression that men who are literary are not as masculine as men that play sports. (Sorry, Dr. Powers!) I know this isn't true, but it's my first impression when I think of that. Another interesting thing, though, is that artists are thought to be more sensual than non-artists. But maybe this only applies to musicians, or filmmakers, or painters or sculptors? I'm not sure. I just know that my perceptions of gender roles as related to writers and artists are waaayyy off and outdated. Does that jock write poetry? Maybe! Either way, I don't think art, or creating art, is either masculine or feminine.
Here's a video of an artist that absolutely busts down any gender conventions we might have about art. Is he masculine? Is he feminine? Hmm...I'm not sure. But is he awesome? ABSOLUTELY! Go, Boy George!
