Gender ideology

Order 359131 Topic: Gender ideology One perhaps never hears about a discussion or symposium on the subject, Men-their role in the society. The discussion is always about women. The never-ending talk of giving equal rights to the female gender goes on but total equality is still far. A female child is victimized at every step of life, from the moment of birth, notwithstanding the fact that it is she who sacrifices at those steps. When will the female gender become the legal and spiritual equal of males?
The facts mentioned regarding the female gender in the book “ Friday Night Lights” by H. G. Bissinger are no exception to what is stated above. Traditional masculinity is evident in the story of 1988 Permian “ Mojo” Panthers football season. A superficial role is given to the Pepettes, who are senior high school girls. Hysteria prevails amongst the football fans during the entire season, and each tournament is a do-or-die act for the members of the team. The Odessa community has a social structure that intensely favors the male. The football players are treated like the royal princes.
How does the football tournament begin? Bissinger provides a graphic picture of the opening ceremony related to the match. He writes, “ Behind the rows of stools stood the stars of the show, the members of the 1988 Permian Panther high school football team. Dressed in their black game jerseys, they laughed and teased one another like privileged children of royalty. Directly in-front of them, dressed in white jerseys and forming a little protective phalanx, were the Pepettes, a select group of senior girls who made up the school spirit squad. The Pepettes supported all teams, but it was the football team they supported most. The number on the jersey each girl wore corresponded to that of the player she had been assigned for the football season. With that assignment came various time honored responsibilities.”(p. 45)
The mention of time honored responsibilities, indicates the subservient role of the female gender as per the societal norms. The girls had no part in the football game, and not one among them was directly connected to the game, except that they played the role of cheering the players. This is nothing but a subtle form of exploitation and assertion of superiority of masculinity. The exploitation in another form was also prevalent and the players were entitled to some special entitlement, at the cost of Pepette. Bissinger further writes, “ As a part of the tradition, each Pepette brought some type of sweet for her player every week before the game. Some of the Pepettes spent as much as $100 of their own money to make an individual sign, decorating it with twinkling lights and other attention-getting devices.” (p. 45)
Odessa is otherwise socially and racially divided. The game of football is the prime unifying force. The book provides an in-depth study of the population of the town, and gives details of the character study of some of the players and coaches and the social status of the female gender. Pepettes perform their role in front of the 20, 000 screaming fans and not all of the youngsters are gentlemen. Fans often tend to be rabid when the game is in progress and during the win or defeat situations. Bissinger makes an in-depth analysis of the sociological concepts of Odessa, the male and female gender inequalities, particularly as they relate to sports. He writes, “ From time to time, the role of the Pepette became controversial. A stinging editorial in the school newspaper, the Permian Press, applauded a new rule prohibiting Pepette from placing candy in players lockers every Friday…. no longer will be a member (Pepette) be the personal Geisha girl of a player.”(p. 137) The members of the female gender in Odessa are asserting themselves…. and the penalty stroke will definitely converted in to a goal by them in the not-too distant future!
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Works Cited:
Bissinger, H. G. Friday night lights: a town, a team, and a dream – Google Books, 2004.