Friday, September 30, 2016

Pathos of "Throw like a girl"

A popular and modern example of "Take It Like a Man"
The author of “Throw like a girl” is unique in his ability to appeal so strongly to both men and women, and in such different ways too. Almost any boy, at some point in time, has heard the statement “You hit like a girl” or “Take it like a man” from a bully or insensitive friend. It’s the stereotypical attack on masculinity; to compare someone to a girl, how awful. While it shouldn’t be, these attacks hinge on a societally bred desire for strength and toughness from boys. Because of this, these statements can be very damaging to you men because it tells them two things: that they are not masculine, and that being feminine is bad. This implies that not only can boys not be themselves, but also that they aren't good enough as they are. This ad serves to dispel the underlying myth that feminine is not only good, but feminine can be strong too. Through text and actors themselves, it demonstrates the strength that is often taken away from women. Here, is where it appeals to women just as strongly, if not more. It is well known that while strides have been made in gender equality, there is much work to be done. Women still face discrimination on a variety of levels, but notably in what they are told they can do. True even more so in the 1960’s, but certainly today, women are often oppressed into certain roles: housekeepers, secretaries, etc. This ad opens the door and starts discussion on the current barriers in gender equality by portraying women and girls going against the stereotype. It visually and textually tears down the myth for each viewer. Because of this and it's incredibly strong appeal to all audiences, it is understandable why this ad sends a perfect message to younger audiences, and clearly it has found large success in its appeal emotion, for a study revealed that after watching the video, "76 percent of girls ages 16-24 no longer [saw] the phrase "like a girl" as an insult, and two out of three men who watched said they would stop or think twice before using "like a girl" as an insult. "
-Race Saunders
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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 30, 2016 at 8:51 PM

    This is a really thoughtful post. While there have been many efforts on social media and other forms of popular culture to dispel the negative stereotypes that surround feminism, there is clearly so much more work to be done. In order to achieve the goal of eliminating gender discrimination, schools and colleges need to further the education on gender discrimination and encourage dialogue.

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  2. AnonymousSeptember 30, 2016 at 8:52 PM

    This is a really thoughtful post. While there have been many efforts on social media and other forms of popular culture to dispel the negative stereotypes that surround feminism, there is clearly so much more work to be done. In order to achieve the goal of eliminating gender discrimination, schools and colleges need to further the education on gender discrimination and encourage dialogue.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Civil Rights: Police BrutalitySeptember 30, 2016 at 9:02 PM

    I thought your post was well-thought out. I liked the direction you took about men and the social constructs of masculinity. I also would have to say that "Throw like a Girl" definitely makes society feel appalled and for some a sense of guilt since they have socialized people into thinking "like a girl" is a condescending statement against women.

    ~Kim Cerritos

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