Monday, November 06, 2006
Girls Can Cut It
Reading the November, 2006 issue of National Geographic I found an item of note in the "Inside Geographic" page toward the end of the magazine, a three quarter page blurb with full color photo titled "Girl Power." The blurb focuses on the seven girls who qualified for the finals of the National Geographic Bee. Approximately fifty champions from the 50 states plus U.S. territories, etc. participated. The blurb states this is the largest group of girls in the Bee in over 10 years.
I'm glad for the girls and find it curious that more girls haven't done well at this. But I also find it tiresome to read, again, the some old tribute to girls/women. There was no mention of the boy, Bonny Jain, who won the Bee or any of the other 40 to 50 something boys. I'm sure Bonny Jain got his moment in the sun but why is it so important to highlight these girls?
Certainly, there were other aspects of some contestants that were equally or more intriguing. I don't find this sort of attention to be good for girls or boys. The underlying message here to girls is "it is so unusual for girls to do well at this activity we must give extra attention to it because most girls are geographic dunces." The message it gives the boys is "too bad guys, no matter how much you excel we're going to focus our admiration on the girls." I don't see either message as being encouraging to either gender as a group. Plus, it helps set the stage for gender based warfare down the road.
I'm glad for the girls and find it curious that more girls haven't done well at this. But I also find it tiresome to read, again, the some old tribute to girls/women. There was no mention of the boy, Bonny Jain, who won the Bee or any of the other 40 to 50 something boys. I'm sure Bonny Jain got his moment in the sun but why is it so important to highlight these girls?
Certainly, there were other aspects of some contestants that were equally or more intriguing. I don't find this sort of attention to be good for girls or boys. The underlying message here to girls is "it is so unusual for girls to do well at this activity we must give extra attention to it because most girls are geographic dunces." The message it gives the boys is "too bad guys, no matter how much you excel we're going to focus our admiration on the girls." I don't see either message as being encouraging to either gender as a group. Plus, it helps set the stage for gender based warfare down the road.
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Or like being a sports fan and having to hear about USC all the darn time.
I never really worry about stuff like this. Yeah, there's going to be some press, because how much news can you really write about a spelling bee in the first place?
Same thing happens every year with the World Series of Poker Main Event, too. Because women are woefully underrepresented in the field and have never won the main event, to date. Matter of fact, I think only two have made it to the final table. In heavily male dominated areas, women even participating is news.
You hear the same kind of thing in reverse for the teaching field (at least I do). "We need more male teachers" has been repeated to me so many times as one of the things education needs most.
We hear about females participating in things still because women participating in things is still new in a lot of areas.
I mean, aren't there more Republican women challengers to male Democratic candidates at the polls tomorrow? That's news.
I never really worry about stuff like this. Yeah, there's going to be some press, because how much news can you really write about a spelling bee in the first place?
Same thing happens every year with the World Series of Poker Main Event, too. Because women are woefully underrepresented in the field and have never won the main event, to date. Matter of fact, I think only two have made it to the final table. In heavily male dominated areas, women even participating is news.
You hear the same kind of thing in reverse for the teaching field (at least I do). "We need more male teachers" has been repeated to me so many times as one of the things education needs most.
We hear about females participating in things still because women participating in things is still new in a lot of areas.
I mean, aren't there more Republican women challengers to male Democratic candidates at the polls tomorrow? That's news.
Again, I bring up an oft used comparision: men continue to watch Larry the Cable Guy and revel at being 'rednecks' or 'thuggs'; buy things whose advertisers portray men as the dumbest, most uncouth losers (see: beer ads); and tune in to shows where the male lead is the anti-hero hero; lionize badasses and demonize 'geeks'...and men love this.
So long as 'acting masculine' includes boorish mannerisms as a signal of pride, we are going to be the butt of the "sick situation" you describe, and the only way it will stop is when men stop acting in such ways.
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So long as 'acting masculine' includes boorish mannerisms as a signal of pride, we are going to be the butt of the "sick situation" you describe, and the only way it will stop is when men stop acting in such ways.
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