Roe 1
In the article, “There is No Unmarked Woman,” Deborah Tannen claims that all women on the planet are under the scrutiny of society, therefore they have many markings that carry meaning. According to the author being male is the unmarked case, and do not fall into the category of such attention, so they are not marked by society (Tannen 389). First of all, Tannen believes that women have a fairly large selection of self-expression of appearance be it clothes, shoes, hair, makeup or manicure. Women will always be fundamentally different from one another, since both will choose a completely different style of appearance. For example, one woman may choose a loose T-shirt, leggings, slippers, a tight ponytail on her head, and no make-up. While another woman will choose a tight sexy dress, high heels, beautifully styled hair, bright makeup, and well-groomed nails. Most men always look simple and nondescript without distinguishing themselves with any special markings. Secondly, the author writes that a woman uses markings even when it comes to the prefix before her name. For example, it is very important how a woman labels herself, “Ms.” or “Mrs.” A correctly chosen prefix suggests status and or the age a woman, a man uses just a “Mr.” which does not mean anything except that he is a man. Thirdly, the author of the article touched upon the topic of the last name. If a woman is married, then in most cases she takes her husband’s last name, and it will indicate that she is less herself, more identified by her husband’s identity (391). Sometimes a woman takes a double last name. In any case, whichever option a woman chooses, she marks herself one way or another.
I disagree with Deborah Tannen in her article, “All women are marked,” because men, like women, do things that “label” them in a certain way. Many men have their own markings such as hair, clothing, shoes, food, and more to distinguish themselves. For example, there are many different men’s haircuts, just like women have. A man may not cut his hair at all and have it long. Accordingly, a man can have a very stylish hairstyle and thus differ from the rest. I also disagree when it comes to the last names. For example, my uncle took his wife’s last name when they got married. Thus, he wanted to make himself special and show respect for the family of his new wife. From all this it follows that there are no unmarked men as well as women. Every person labels themselves in one way or another to stand out in society.
Aaron Devohr’s article, “Gender Role Behavior and Attitudes,” explores the differences in male and female behavior that have been used to separate boys and girls. He also talks about how society thinks what is “normal” for men and women. Devore believes that gender role behavior in society is divided into “femininity” and “masculinity.” Men have masculinity because their behavior usually includes aggression, power and domination. Women have femininity because in their behavior, as a rule, there is sexuality, calmness, the desire for harmony and well-being. In Devor’s article he writes “masculinity is usually characterized by dominance and aggression, and femininity by passivity and submission” (Devor 505). This means that a man always dominates a woman. He also believes that a woman has a natural dependence on a man, and in every possible way attempts to attract male attention to herself by putting his needs above her own. The author believes that, “Heterosexual orientation requires a woman to dress, move, speak and act in a way that men find attractive” (507). His words mean that a woman should be appealing in everything she does in order to attract a man’s attention to create a relationship.
God is a Woman is a 2018 American song by Ariana Grande. The author focuses on sexuality in the song by addressing an unknown male character about her desires. For instance, Ariana Grande repeatedly tells the male character that he will realize that God is a woman when they engage in intimacy. Majorly, Ariana Grande uses the word God as a symbol in the song.
The singer uses the word God to prove that women are equally powerful. Markedly, people understand that God is powerful since he controls the world. Moreover, God is mostly associated with the male gender as most people assume that God is a man. There are chances that Ariana Grande claims that God is a woman in her song to create the powerful image of women. For instance, the central highlight is that God is a woman because the singer can equally take sexual control. The singer believes that she can influence the male character on the sexual matter to prove that women are powerful. One of the repetitive lines in the song claims that ‘you will believe that God is a woman.’’
Furthermore, the author also talks about the universe in the song by mentioning that the male character will realize that she owns the universe. People only associate God with owning the universe, proving that the term God is symbolic. She uses the term to show the audience that women can also own the world as God since they have the capacity. There is also an instance where the singer asks the boy to confess to earn blessings. Confessions and blessings are only associated with God since he is the most powerful. In brief, associating women and God creates a positive semiotic, as women are upgraded to a powerful status, and the song leaves the audience interpreting why God is associated with a woman.
Films are considered a mirror of society’s ideals. Consequently, the portrayal of gender stereotypes in films has permeated Hollywood. The stereotypes become embedded in the culture as the truth, skewing people’s perceptions. Women have particularly been misrepresented in films, with the conventional roles of mothers, wives, and homemakers being highlighted more. However, movies in the recent past have begun to challenge these portrayals, showing women in previously male-dominated fashions, including careers, STEM fields, and success in both orthodox roles and new ones. The movies Hidden Figures and Devil Wears Prada are the focus of the present analysis, demonstrating an attempt by Hollywood to thwart female stereotypes in films. The present essay conducts a semiotic analysis of the movies to argue that while Hidden Figures challenges females’ roles in STEM fields, Devil Wears Prada highlights the patriarchy’s role in promoting masculine characteristics.
At the literal level, Hidden Figures is a film depicting NASA’s early ‘human computers’ and that they were African-American women, instrumental in the organization’s orbital calculations, data interpretations, and research in general (Pultarova, 2017). Women were instrumental in NASA’s missions in the 1960s, outperforming men in STEM roles conventionally considered male-dominated. Dubbed human computers, the protagonists in the film were essential in correcting calculations, developing programming languages, computing, and engineering that propelled NASA to the forefront of space exploration (Pultarova, 2017). However, the semiotic analysis shows that the stereotypes society holds of women are wrong. Hidden Figures’ portrayal of women contrasts Hollywood standards of stereotypical roles ranging from highly domesticated to sexualized illustrations (Pultarova, 2017). In addition, the film’s portraiture demonstrates intricate functions that women plan in society, especially in STEM-related fields. Hidden Figures challenges societal, cultural stereotypes concerning the role of women in STEM roles. Science, technology, engineering, and math-related roles in society are always recommended for men. However, the representation of women’s role in NASA during the 1960s shows that women can excel in such fields, even besting their male counterparts (Pultarova, 2017). Hidden Figures’ role in bridging the gap between racial and gender stereotypes is commendable. Women in STEM, and particularly African American women, have succeeded in the past despite impossible odds, showing that the image of society’s racial stereotypes is wrong. The women in the film symbolize society’s acceptance that gender is no longer a factor in intelligence, particularly regarding STEM roles. The film’s name Hidden Figures has a connotation to it. During the film’s setting, African Americans’ contributions were hidden, and for women, there was no acknowledgment for their functions.
`In Devil Wears Prada, the literal meaning is that of a strong female lead. Miranda’s role as the editor-in-chief of a popular magazine shows audiences the success of women in fashion and appeals to feminists. Miranda is portrayed as masculine and aristocratic, intimidating assistants and others with skill and strong personality. The movie depicts positive role models for women to follow in mass media (Christoffersen, 2016). Andy, Miranda’s assistant, is the working woman, while Miranda represents the feminist idol. However, a deeper examination of Devil Wears Prada highlights gender stereotypes regarding the dependence of women on men and that societally acceptable women must follow specific guidelines. The film reinforces the gender stereotype that women’s careers cannot get in the way of their patriarchal duties in family, marriage, and friendships (Christoffersen, 2016). Andy’s relationships deteriorate as she gets a new job, and Miranda’s marriage ends due to her career. The disintegration of the female leads’ relationships demonstrates to audiences that women must follow the patriarchy rather than their careers to be successful as friends, wives, girlfriends, and mothers. The audience gets from the film that women can take on careers and be as successful as men. However, the film’s denotation shows that masculinity trumps femininity. Women can be successful in the workplace as long as they adopt masculine traits of aggression, assertiveness, cruelty, and cold-heartedness. Miranda and Andy’s careers succeed by double-crossing their friends, losing families, and leaving feminine features behind (Christoffersen, 2016). Devil Wears Prada symbolizes the acceptability of masculine characters in society in place of feminine ones, symbolized by the connotation derived from the title. The women in the film are signifiers of the patriarchy that has permeated women’s career decisions. By acting based on society’s definition of masculine characters, women can succeed in their careers.