Sunday, February 26, 2012
Interests and fear of being judged
It is still commonplace in our society that we depend on acknowledgement of others to determine if the activities in which we engage ourselves are acceptable, or "correct". Tori's entry reminded me of my classmates who approached me when he decided to be part of the LGBT organization on campus. He is straight, with a strong interest in learning more about issues related to non-traditional forms of gender. He looked forward to be part of this cluster on campus, but at the same time, afraid that he might be judged for what he is interested in, especially by his roommate, who is slightly inclined towards the homophobic zone of the spectrum. I understood his dilemma, but I still encouraged him to pursue his passion. My friend and I are from a society in which gender-queer issues are not widely accepted and discussed, which is why my friend saw this as an opportunity to open his mind. He did eventually joined the organization, and never regretted the decision. My friend's fear surfaced from the thought of being misunderstood, but he outgrown his own fear to get involved with the things he is interested in, and he did not let others' judgment hinder him from doing the things he like.
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I think what he did was a very difficult choice for a straight man to make. It's easy for a homosexual to say yes to the club, but for a straight person, it can be very difficult. Even though you say you are straight and just joining the club to become more open-minded, many people would think that as an excuse and judge you. I think LGBT club is a great club and helps homosexuals come out of their cave and reveal who they really are. I personally wouldn't join a LGBT club, but I find clubs like this one to be very beneficial to this society and assisting the people who need the extra support.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with your point on being misunderstood. I guess what my friend did was just trying to get involved with something new, and that as long he is makes it clear that he is straight, he is not concerned with what others think about him being part of the organization.
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ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the hesitation some guys may feel when deciding to openly be a part of the "Brony" fanbase. Here's a quick explanation of what that consists of:
ReplyDelete"A name typically given to the male viewers/fans (whether they are straight, gay, bisexual, etc.) of the My Little Pony show or franchise. They typically do not give in to the hype that males aren't allowed to enjoy things that may be intended for females." (UrbanDictionary.com)
During a youtube video from the online series "Teens React," a host of kids from ages 14-17 were shown "My Little Pony" and asked to give their responses to the show.
One of the guys interviewed seemed unable to believe that Bronies actually (or sincerely) existed; He claimed that they must all be "trolling" - or, saying they like something just for the sake of upsetting people to get a reaction. Most of the boys who were younger were completely adverse to the show. This might be because they don't feel comfortable with their masculinity quite yet - associating themselves with a show like that would throw off the image they're trying to develop as guys. One of the most adverse comments was from one of the older guys, though: "If you're a guy, and you watch My Little Pony...you technically shouldn't be allowed to be called a man."
Some guys, though, seem fine with it. One of them, a 17-year-old, said that while he thinks it's a "little bit weird" that guys his age (and older) like My Little Pony, he says he's "not gonna hate"; So, even though he has his preference, he's comfortable enough with himself not to feel threatened if other guys like it. Only one of the guys interviewed was really enthusiastic enough about the show to want to be considered a Brony himself.
These reactions show a broad range in which guys internalize what is expected of them, and how it can shut down interests that they might of otherwise had. It's possible that some of the guys interviewed who were adverse to the show would have been fans if they weren't so concerned about a 'manly' image.
Youtube link for Teens React (which I forgot in my previous version of this post):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzozSSGETJo
Thanks for sharing the video, Camille. It's interesting to see that different people have different thoughts about the show. And although most of them think that the show is catered for young girls (and also babies?), there are some teenage guys who love it! And it is apparent that some of them just shun the show because it seems "kiddy and girly", and that some girls declared that they wouldn't date a guy who watches the show!
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