Following Gender roles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl_q1qPnYuE
Defying Gender Roles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcN392H2jx0
In our society today, the male gender role is
to be athletic and physically strong. In the first of the two videos,
Derek Jeter and many other men are playing baseball, following the male gender
role of being athletic and strong. Masculinity and strength are on full display
as Derek Jeter crushes baseballs to all fields in this highlight video. Many
men strive to fulfil their gender roles as physically impressive people like
Derek Jeter. In the first video, Derek Jeter’s gender role is to be athletic,
fit, and good at sports.
Oppositely, a women’s gender role in our society today is to be more of a caretaker and someone who is supposed to cook dinner for the family and watch the kids. This stereotypical gender role for women is challenged by the film “A League of Their Own”. The second video is a trailer for the film and shows women defying their gender role as caretakers and being athletes. The women challenge their female gender role in society by creating their own professional baseball league. Instead of following many modern stereotypes which involve cooking dinner and other household activities, the women in “A League of Their Own” go outside of their comfort zone and gender role by challenging the assumption that women can’t play baseball and deciding to create their own baseball league to prove people wrong. In the film, the gender role they display is one of playing sports, getting dirty, and being tough.
Lastly, "A League of Their Own" targets women and sends the message that women can play sports and compete just like men do. The film gives the impression that women are capable of playing tough sports and getting dirty just like men are expected to do. The film demolishes gender barriers and shows how men and women are not limited to what they want to do no matter what society expects them to do. Women can be just as tough if not more tough than men in some cases, and they can compete physically just like men do. The message "A League of Their Own" sends to its audience is very compelling and persuasive, convincing the audience that all people can play sports and be active, regardless of gender. I also think the video is meant to target men as well. The video places women into one of the most highly regarded sports by men. It is often unheard of for women to play baseball. “A League of Their Own” effectively proves to men that women are capable of handling the physically demanding sports that make men “manly”. All in all, the movie does a great job of proving to men that women are capable of more than they think and that girls can compete in sports just like men do.
I believe you were right about the stereotypical gender roles in our society. Males are seen as the more physical gender that is stronger and more athletic, while women are seen as the ones who work around the house doing chores and are more of caretakers than anything. That being said, I was happy to see the women in "A League of Their Own" defy their gender roles and do something they want to do any make a lot of money doing it. It was awesome to see them not only play a sport that most players believe women are incapable of playing, but also succeed in doing so. To add on, it was amazing to see the crowds they would draw and the popularity the league attracted.
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