Indigenous Vs the European Colonizers Blog 4

Giulia Quattrociocchi                                                                                                                    May 14^th, 2024

For hundreds of years the Indigenous faced oppression by the European colonists. The Indigenous lived very peacefully by building meaningful relationships with their families. They liked nature and the beauty of it. Upon the arrival of the Europeans, their entire lives changed for the worse as depicted through the work of Keough and Campbell in the chapter “Gender and Cultural Diversity in the Early Contact Period”. In the documentary “Trans in Trumpland”, transgender individuals are living in a biased society with different ideologies.  All these affected individuals are living with forbidden perspectives.

The Indigenous lived in the province and owned the land first. Once the Europeans came, they wanted to take over all the lands and take control over the beliefs of the Indigenous. The two had different philosophies and ideologies and those of the Indigenous were wiped away by the Europeans They had to convert their culture to be accepted into the patriarchal conformities. Contrastingly, as documented in the documentary “Trans in Trumpland, transgender individuals were not accepted. They were discriminated and society disrupted them by forbidding them to live the life they wanted to. They were forced to be people they weren’t because they weren’t accepted for who they were. The stereotypes of masculinity and femininity played big roles in the recognition of different genders. Oppression was imposed as identities and traditions were barricaded. There was a lot of inequality and injustice as individuals were not able to be themselves in their homeland. Bottom of Form

A lot of ideologies were different before the arrival of the colonists. Females were more accepted, and their decisions were valued. The colonists believed that the males were dominant and did all the hard work and that the females had no other purpose other than cleaning and cooking. In the chapter by Keough and Campbell, they state that the Indigenous needed both the males and the females to continue to live and without one of the two lives would have been harder. This is why they formed meaningful connections with one another and lived happily. They were all there for each other. The Europeans came and destroyed happy lives. Both cultures believed they had the right beliefs and it caused friction as the Europeans only wanted it to be their way.

The residential schools were a system that took Indigenous children away from their families and mistreated them physically and mentally. The children were starved to death and maltreated. An event like this is the most horrific experience anyone can go through and today the Indigenous that are left, are being reconciled for the negligence. As depicted in Keough and Campbell’s research colonization destroyed the lives of the innocent. The Europeans wanted to be superior and own all the power as they immigrated to a new country. Taking over someone else’s life and transforming them to become like you, is completely wrong and stems from insecurities and believing they were better than the Indigenous when they were not. It is important to embrace the negligence and to shape society into a more acceptable place. Becoming less oppressed and acknowledging the challenges that occurred is important to move past these events and be better for future generations.

In conclusion, being aware of what happened even if it was many years ago is important. The indigenous and transgender communities shall be allowed to be who they are and regain their identities. Nobody shall ever go through these events and putting ourselves in their positions shows their strength to be able to live with such horrible memories and negligence. They are granted a life but are not free of their own decisions and are not allowed to be happy like the rest of us. It is unfair and the conformity must end. Society must navigate to an equitable and kind place.

Bibliography

Keough, Peter, and Virginia, Campbell. “Gender and Cultural Diversity in the Early Contact Period”. Handbook of North American Indians, vol.15, Northeast. Edited by Bruce G. Trigger, Smithsonian Institution, 1978, p16-29.

Zosherafatain, Tony. Trans in Trumpland, 2020

Blog 3: Negligent effects because of our skin colour

                  Racism and slavery are both forms of discrimination that black people faced since human history. They have been ongoing issues for many centuries now and the brutality is still superior in modern society. People of colour were the victims because the whites wanted to control them and believed they were more worthy than the blacks. This essay will cover these impacts on individuals through Jordan Peele’s award-winning film Get Out and Desmond Cole’s book “The Skin We’re In”.

                  Today, Canada is a free country, and they are accepting many immigrants and welcoming many citizens by giving them better opportunities. However, police brutality and racism are still issues this country is facing, but society seems to not be aware of them because the country is free. The United States of America is a country that faces many racial problems, beginning with slavery amongst minority groups such as Native and African Americans and Latinos. These issues also stem from the inequalities of money and schooling. When Donald Trump was the president of the states, he wanted to build a wall to forbid Mexicans from coming in as he did not want immigrants. In the US, these issues are well known, and Americans seem to believe that Canadians do not face these issues. Chris Washington faces racial discrimination in the movie “Get Out”. He is a man of colour and because of his skin, he is hypnotized by his girlfriend’s family. The opening scene of the movie shows a black man being kidnapped, which foreshadows the ending of the movie. Chris left with his girlfriend Rose for a weekend getaway with her family. The man started to notice odd behaviour at the beginning when he encountered the housekeeper who was a black woman. Afterwards, the family had a garden party, and Chris was the only black individual. Chris’s skin colour symbolizes the conviction he faces. Rose’s family kidnaps black men and hypnotizes them by removing parts of their brains and replacing them with the minds of white people. We see the control and the power that the white people want to have on the black people. In the book “The Skin We’re In”, Desmond Cole explains police brutality and racial discrimination growing up in Toronto. His friend John was faced with criminal charges such as a liquor violation and assault and he was mistreated for crimes he did not commit, (Desmond, C.10). They are treated differently because of their skin colour.

                  One of the many reasons black people face racism is because of the stereotypes that society portrays these individuals as. Throughout history, slavery and discrimination have started these social opinions. The police portray them to be dangerous, aggressive and the cause of crimes and they arrest these innocent individuals. Racist individuals portray them to be unworthy, irresponsible, and unintelligent. In the movie “Get Out”, Chris challenges these stereotypes. In the end, Chris discovers that his girlfriend’s family wants to hold him captive and control him, by removing his brain and killing him. He refused to let his fear take over and decided to fight for his life. He was determined to escape and unravel the family’s secret.  Desmond Cole expresses in his novel “The Skin We’re In”, that black people are not surprised by police discrimination because they are used to them, (Desmond, C.11). It is a deep clarification that these events are frequent. Police discriminate against them by always blaming these innocent people for no reason because they are stereotyped to be scary and a violent threat to society.

                  The US has a negative history of racism as they have dealt with many protests and conflicts regarding black labour. Black labour was exploited, and black people faced labour with hard working conditions where they were slaves for the white people. They had no rights in the workforce.  In “Get Out”, the idea that the family members exploit the brains of individuals and replace the black brains with white brains shows the power white people want to have on black people. They are using their bodies and taking over who they are. They want to have control of black people and want to kill their bodies. Canada faced slavery over the years and Desmond expresses certain issues he faced. He stated that black people were not wanted in society, (Desmond, C. 3). The white supremacists dominated the black culture having the belief that whites are superior, (Desmond. C, 9).  They promote discrimination and want domination and priority and they do not have empathy for the blacks. They celebrate inequality.

                  The movie “Fight Club” is a very violent movie with a twist to its ending. The movie is about violence between other men who are not content with their lifestyle. In conclusion, both works as well as the movie “Fight Club”, all highlight the trace of racism in history and the way this has developed into modern society. These issues are still occurring today and have not yet reached equality among individuals. They highlight the dangers and the consequences of traditionalism by challenging prejudice.

Bibliography:

Get out. Jordan Peele, Blumhouse Productions, 2017.

Cole, Desmond. The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power. Doubleday Canada, 2020.

Exploring Masculinity in “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton

By Giulia Quattrociocchi

              “The Outsiders”, by S.E. Hinton is a classical movie that explores masculinity, self- discovery, and the feeling of belonging. The story takes place in the 1960s in Oklahoma and tells the life story about the protagonist names Ponyboy Curtis. Ponyboy faces stereotypical expectations, as he is part of the Greaser’s gang.

              Masculinity is represented in many ways compelling the aspects of strengths, weaknesses, and difficulties the characters face. To begin, the movie is male dominated and is only made up of male characters, which causes a high standard of expectations and comparisons amongst the characters. Ponyboy Curtis deals with this pressure of portraying a tough appearance for his fellow members of the gang. He wants to act masculine and fit in with the rest of the characters, as he faces his own internal struggles. Ponyboy had a sympathetic, intellectual personality which he hid from his friends as they were not part of the stereotypical norms that men should have.

              The Greasers and the Socs were the names of the two rival gangs. The rivalry between the two had negative impacts on the males causing harmful gender norms and expectations. The competition between the two, led to violence where the characters felt pressured into harmful situations and could not step back from them. If the males did not want to conform with violence, they would be made fun of by the rest and would not have fit the stereotypical aspects a gang member should have. Ponyboy enjoyed reading and he was very educated unlike the Greasers who are uneducated. Besides the pressure he faces, Ponyboy is not embarrassed to show his feelings as he grieves over the passing of his parents. His openness to freely show his emotions confronts the stereotype where males are supposed to have no emotion no matter what situation they face.

Rumble between the Greasers and the Socs

              “The Outsiders” impacts the portrayal of masculinity in popular culture on society shaping individual’s self-perception, relationships, and societal norms. There are traditional gender roles held by society as acceptance within the individuals in a societal standard. Ponyboy grew up as one of the less fortunate men in the gang and it affected the way he was perceived by the members of his gang. Netherless the discrimination he received; he was strong as he challenged the stereotype that individuals have on those that are not as wealthy. When his parents deceased, the relationship he had with his bothers Sodapop and Darry impacted the portrayal on relationships. Darry, one of the older bothers took the parenting role in protecting Ponyboy and reassuring he was well taken care of. Darry expected Ponyboy to conform in certain ways because of societal expectations, where Darry felt the need to provide and reliable for his brother. Ponyboy struggled with the feeling of belonging with the rest and always felt outcasted. Adolescents are pressured and want to feel accepted by their peers to be popular, which shapes the growth Ponyboy’s character holds.

The Outsiders Darry hits Ponyboy

In conclusion, using masculinity, S.E. Hinton explored societal norms, gender expectations and gender stereotypes in the movie “The Outsiders”. As society deeps into further difficulties on gender and individuality, “The Outsiders”, is a beneficial movie demonstrating the significance of accepting individuality.

Blog 2 : Expressions of Masculinity

Giulia Quattrociocchi                                                                                           Tuesday, March 26^th, 2024

Michael S. Kimmel expresses through his text ‘Masculinity as Homophobia’, the way men are socialized into a limited definition of masculinity. Men are feared of being ridiculed for acting too feminine and must always watch the way they act around other men.  This fear stays within themselves throughout their entire lives, anxious that other men will unmask their identity and they will be revealed for who they really are. Why does the fear of emasculation play a big part in consuming the minds of the men?  The documentary ‘Charlottesville: Race and Terror’ defines masculinity, using violence. Males are initiating fights and are killing individuals. Men are behaving in certain ways to fit in. Is society reinforcing these societal standards on men?

Men are criticized through racism with the expectations that our society is reinforcing on them. ‘We are afraid to let other men see that fear’, (page 147), is a form of racism as the men are frightened to be ridiculed. They are masking their identities to fit in, and they are not accepted for who they are, and this is racial discrimination towards them. These young men are constantly monitoring themselves and ensuring they are not acting feminine, not to be mocked, shown in the passage ‘What we wear. How we talk. How we walk. What we eat. Every mannerism, every movement contains a coded gender language’, (page 148). Why are these stereotypes put into place when they can give the wrong perception of an individual? In the documentary, racism is showed when groups of minorities are hated. The riots were organized by Nazi groups and the Jews as well as individuals with different skin colours were mocked. Individuals part of the minority groups was injured, and amongst three were murdered by cars. All these innocent people are being discriminated for looking a certain way or acting a different way. Personally, in elementary school, I was bullied and mocked at in grade two. This experience has stuck by me and made me feel unworthy of myself. Nobody should ever go through these harmful experiences.

Masculinity and feminism work against each other by oppressing one another. Kimmel is a feminist, who wants fairness for both genders. Masculinists figures do not believe in equality and believe they are superior to females, which is where the behaviour becomes unequal and sexist. Homosexuals are outcasted by sexist attitudes and labelled differently, shown in the passage ‘Masculinity has become a relentless test by which we prove to other men, to women, and ultimately to ourselves, that we have successfully mastered that part.’, (page 150). Males want to dominant and empowerment over women, stating ‘Manhood is equated with power over women, over other men.’, (page 149).  These men are raised entitled to this power and believe the power they hold, the more dominant and manly they become. In the documentary, there is a lock of gender diversity showing that man is overpowering the women. The males were violent and screaming which are behaviours to prove their power and dominance. The treatment towards the minority protestors was reported as harassments and aggression which is sexist in a form of discrimination. Christopher Cantwell, a white nationalist, speaking part in the riot as an intimidating and dominant individual. Unequal rights between genders restricts individuals from opportunities. How should society redefine masculinity stereotypes leading to sexism?

Homophobic individuals are sexist, as homophobia goes beyond the criticism the man will face, but the feelings they will be left with, ‘Homophobia is more than the irrational fear of gay men, more than the fear that we might be perceived as gay.’, (Kimmel 147). Homophobia discriminates homophobic individuals and humiliates them. ‘Maybe today is best to not wear these shorts’, (Kimmel 148), showing how he did not want to wear pink and lavender shorts because the topic of the class was homophobia and he feared being ridiculed. In the documentary, many of the protesting groups such as the Nazis and the white nationalists oppress individuals of different genders. The homophobic individuals formed violent rallies towards all individuals who did not agree with the beliefs of the whites. Homophobia is the mocking towards individuals of different genders, by discriminating against people who do not obey societal norms.

To conclude, racism, sexism and homophobia connect the concepts of masculinity and power in society. After analyzing all three key aspects, individuals are affected by these actions. To prevent these events from happening, the school system as well as the government should step into place to reduce the number of males affected.

Bibliography:

Kimmel, Michael. Masculinity as Homophobia. 1994.

Charlottesville: Race and Terror. YouTube, Vice News, 14 Aug. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P54sP0Nlngg&t=5s. Accessed 28 Mar. 2022. Inside

Incel, CBC, The Fifth Estate, 27 Jan. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqWjCHPg9gA. Accessed 25 Sept. 2023.

James, Will, Online Influencers, Toxic Masculinity, and the Classroom, Vanier College, March 5, 2024

Blog 1: Text Guys Club and Film Invincible Reflection

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

by Giulia Quattrociocchi

The short text Guys’ Club: No Faggots, Bitches, or Pussies Allowed tells a story about a young Colombian boy named Carlos who grew up being indifferent to the individuals in his surroundings. He grew up being very sensitive and emotional, unlike the rest of the young boys. He was into feminine activities and his desires did not fit within society’s masculinity standards. The short film called Invincible tells a story about a young boy named Marc who deals with a mental health issue, living in a youth detention facility. Both young boys face similarities in their emotions and the way they are being treated by others, as masculinity plays an important role internally and externally.

Masculinity standards and societal norms play a big role today with the expectations society holds on men. Society expects men to be strong, built, dependent and have no emotions. In the text, Carlos did not fit those standards. Carlos enjoyed getting his nails painted which is part of societal standards for girls. Before his aunt began painting his nails, she had refused to do so, because only girls are supposed to paint their nails. The young boy began to wonder how he should act to be accepted and make his family happy, at the same time to be his true self. Growing up he was a very emotional boy and affectionate. A passage from the text states the following, “I’m tired of not being able to show affection”, (page 17), emphasizing how he is afraid of showing his feminine side. Society labels emotional boys as weak and sometimes names them a faggot, as Carlos hears the words “faggot, pussy, bitch”, (page 17). Carlos has been brought up in this judgmental society and is not his true self as his identity was hidden through his fears. The main character is struggling internally within himself because he is not free to do as he pleases and is hidden from liberty. In the short film, Mark is held at the facility and is only allowed to visit his family members on the weekend. He is locked in a small room and wishes to escape. The workers treat him very coldly and are not nice to him, yelling at the young adults and treating them like they are animals. The employees are trying to turn Marc into a man by enforcing their rough behaviour towards him. Marc is very emotional, and he does not fit in with the rest of the boys. He has a very good connection with his sister, and he loves his family. One of the workers approached Marc and stated that if his bad behaviour were persistent, he would be forbidden from ever seeing his family again. At the end of the film, it is very heartbreaking for Marc to feel these internal emotions by committing suicide by driving into a lake, as he believes that it is his only way out to freedom. He loved the water and for him, he is now free from all the situations he faced. Thus, both characters are struggling with internal emotions by being kept away from freedom.

Ideally, these standards affect individuals internally and externally as well, Carlos’s external appearance was being made fun of as he played soccer. One of his teammates told him “You can’t play”, (page 2) because his nails were painted. The teammate was very judgmental and labelled Carlos as a faggot because society holds these norms and creates a misconception belief that painting nails is not for boys. There have been external words spoken to Carlos that have stuck with him. In one of the passages, his mom referred to him as the ultimate son because he is not gay. It is very ironic because Carlos is gay, and this makes him feel that if his mom knew he was gay she would think of her son as highly as she does now. The external society around him is affecting his freedom and is preventing him from being open about who he is. Fear is an emotion faced internally because of the external reoccurring events. In the short film, Marc the young boy steals his father’s lighter when he visits his family on one of the weekends. When he returns to the facility, he breaks the water pipe using the heat of the lighter. He screams as the pipe breaks and as water starts to burst out. After this incident, the workers remove his privileges and forbid him from leaving the facility. The external individuals impacted Marc’s behaviour. He was very angry and lashed out, out of spitefulness because they were mistreating him. Marc’s external appearance within his characters such as always being miserable and upset, shouting and out of control stems from the way he is being treated. The actions Marc performs externally reinforce the pain he is feeling internally. Thus, both characters are facing external conflicts due to masculinity standards the public holds.

There is a big conflict in the short text between the main character and the society around him. Carlos’s parents pressure him into acting like a man and having a manly figure. This is shown when Carlos goes to the gay club and his parents make fun of him for going out on a gay night. He does not feel comfortable expressing how he feels towards his parents because they would not accept him. His friends laughed at him when he refused to go out with them as stated “My friends laughed at me…I thought you were different…I could hear the disappointment in my friend’s voices”, (page 10). At this point in his life, when he faces himself in a situation, the others around him allow him to realize who he is. Society is a judgmental part of our environment. Marc cannot show fear at the institution or else he will be made fun of. One of his friends was making fun of another individual for crying, as men are standardly not supposed to cry. During a basketball game at the facility, his friend Shakib kicked out one of his teammates for not playing well like a man. His younger sister is the only individual who affects him positively because she cares about him and does not judge him for his affection. He can be himself around her which makes him a better individual by feeling accepted. He is calm and happy around her. Thus, both characters are impacted by societal judgments, relating to emotional fear because of masculinity.

            To conclude, it is important to understand how harmful this type of behaviour can be. Reinforcing manly behaviour on Marc and Carlos is very wrong. In summary, Carlo is struggling withing himself and not fitting in, while Marc is dealing with a mental health issue and being treated the same way as Carlo. There has been a change, but society is still not at the point in the future where individuals are free to be who they want. Positively, these stories teach us to never judge and accept everyone for who they are. Learn from each other’s differences and be respectful.

Bibliography

Gómez, Carlos Andrés “Guys Club: No Faggots, Bitches, or Pussies Allowed.” Man up: Cracking the Code of Modern Manhood, Gotham Books, 2012, pp. 65–83.

René-Lortie, Vincent, director. Invincible, TV5 Unis, 2022, https://www.tv5unis.ca/invincible.