How and Why Women are Stripped of Power

Lamar Todd

WGSS 275

October 7, 2019

Op-Ed Blogs: Writing for Understanding and Change

A Heteronormative Society: 

How and Why Women are Stripped of Power

In our society, women cannot go outside after dark for fear that they may be in danger. This is not commonly known by most men in our heteronormative society whose privilege allows them to do several things that social standards prohibit women from. In a powerful video found on twitter, (insert link here), a woman stands on a corner at a crosswalk and records as men approach her over and over or catcall to her and look her up and down as if she is a piece of meat. Being a black man in our society, I have been subjected to the realities of what it means to be a perpetrator of these normalized crimes in our society, guilty or not. From my perspective, I was always accused and it upset me because I felt that these accusations attacked me not only as a black male but also my individual morality and character. After becoming more educated about the other side of the argument or rather putting myself into the perspective of a woman experiencing the harsh truth of what it means to be a woman in our heteronormative society, my mind was changed. 

In the image above, the idea of heteronormativity is framed with how it affects individuals in different ways. On the left hand side of the diagram, standards that affect both men and women are broken down to men being dominant and ready to initiate sex resulting in an increased “sex score” or amount of bodies they have. This therefore results in women being deemed inferior and meeting hostility when their “sex score” exceeds more than 1 or 2 individuals.  These double standards are applicable for both men and women and result in acceptance of verbal sexual coercion by a male counterpart resulting in female victimization.  

With this information, we are given the opportunity to understand that living in a world filled with heterotoxic and heteronormative masculinity can be very difficult for our female counterparts. In one article written by Mellissa Deem, “Scandal, heteronormative culture, and the disciplining of feminism”, masculinity and femininity are approached through government hierarchy and the different policies and events that occur to suppress women while uplifting or positively reinforcing actions by their male counterpart. In particular, Clinton’s time in the white house is scrutinized for his adulterous activity and the impact that that had on our nation and the ideals we hold. Prior to Clinton’s time in office, adultery was a taboo subject considered a sin that would cause impeachment in our society that is mostly of the christian religion and therefore against adulterous activity. After Clinton’s infidelity became nationwide breaking news, women who were considered to be feminists in Clinton’s political party were expected to stand and back the former president. In the article, Deem states, “ This double standard functions by collapsing identity and political practice in a manner that punishes feminists and delineates in advance the political and discursive possibilities that feminists are allowed to occupy”. This relates back to my earlier point wherein wrongful acts that are committed by men in our society are normalized to the point where women, feminists, are placed in a situation where they must sacrifice their own beliefs and put themselves into a position where women are inferiorized in order to lift up the perpetrator or men as a collective.

In WGSS, I have learned that having more than one perspective, especially pertaining to the issues about women in our society, who go so far as to be in danger because of social ideals, is valuable.  Heteronormative masculinity is an issue that affects both men and women in our society in different ways, forcing women to constantly look over their shoulder and learning to see themselves as inferior and therefore acting accordingly. Men in our society are taught to be hypermasculine and suppress any feelings, emotions, or actions that would result in their being feminized or emasculated by peers or even from their own perspective. Our points of view about our own identity and peer identity is shaped through our experiences, how we are treated and the lessons of how to treat others from watching while we grow up. In order to resolve the issues that our society faces as an individualized community filled with toxic masculinity, we need to educate our youth, peers and elders about the problems and reality women who are objectified and harmed in our society face on a daily basis. 

Works cited 

 Melissa Deem (1999) Scandal, heteronormative culture, and the disciplining of feminism, , 16:1, 86-93, DOI: 10.1080/15295039909367074