San Diego State University Social Construction of Gender Heteronormativity Discussion

think through what are the specific examples that we used in this unit to think about the readings or what examples of the readings give. Apply at least two keywords from the unit which brings two course readings.

As a way of reviewing and synthesizing the main course themes, you will complete 5 synthesis think pieces, one at the end of each unit. Remember that these are the culminating assignments for each unit, which means that they are our way of assessing whether you have read, understood, and processed all of the material from the unit. They are like a mini-midterm or final for each unit. Due dates are listed in the syllabus and on Canvas. Choose a tweet (or series of tweets, no longer than 3); instagram post, OR meme that explains/reflects/synthesizes at least 2 of the keywords for the unit. Write a 2-3 sentence analysis of the tweet, instagram post, or meme that unpacks its meaning in relation to the unit themes and keywords. Include parenthetical references to the course readings that relate. Late submissions will be docked one full later grade for every day they are late.

Rubric

1 2 Tweet/meme/instagram post chosen for analysis is relevant to course unit.

1 2 Think piece successfully engages at least 2 keywords from relevant course unit.

1 2 Demonstrates understanding of course readings from the relevant unit by specifically referencing at least 2, at least one of which must be connected to a

keyword and a class prep (a pdf, not an online article).

1 2 Shows an integrated understanding of the unit’s main themes.

Example

The social construction of gender is a concept that refers to the way that social norms collectively shape the meaning of gender; they do so by creating a shared set of “meanings and symbols” enforced by the “rules, privileges, and punishments” associated with either upholding or transgressing these meanings and symbols (Wilchins 25). This meme makes the common mistake of assuming that “social construction” means that something is not real. On the contrary: the social construction of gender and sex as binary are such powerful social realities that, as Cheryl Chase says, to fall outside of these binaries is “humanly possible, but socially unthinkable” (207).

Readings to apply to choose a meme:

1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omouCp6Egwo&feature=emb_title

Here is some background about the video game Gone Home: See pp. 138-39 of Bagnall for more info about the game, but here is a short description: “The game opens on the porch of a house: in the lower left-hand of the first person shot rests luggage, tagged for Kaitlin Greenbriar, the player, who has just returned home after spending a year overseas. In a note taped to the glass, the player’s sister Sam apologizes for her absence. … The player later discovers that, while they were abroad, Sam met and began dating fellow student Lonnie. Their parents were unable to accept Sam’s lesbian relationship, and so Sam and Lonnie ran away together.”

keyword : heteronormativity

2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lS1-k3SNhE&feature=youtu.be

Recall our discussion of online harassment as a particular form of misogyny we have seen in popular culture and digital environments. We talked about this at the beginning of unit 3, on the day that we did the #upskirt reading focused on the keyword “surveillance.” In Activity 3.1, you listened to the podcast exchange between an online writer, Lindy West, who had been harassed and her harasser who was apologizing. He specifically admitted that he attacked her because she was a confident woman who was unafraid to write about being fat and feminist.

In our current unit, we have also talked about video games and the misogyny in them. We looked at a youtube video produced by Anita Sarkeesian on the channel Feminist Frequency. I mentioned then that Sarkeesian has faced extreme forms of harassment – both online and “in real life” – simply in response to her commentaries on video games. This sort of violent backlash faced by female and feminist gamers is called “gamergate” and it is covered in the documentary GTFO, available through the library website. In order to get a sense of what this sort of online harassment and trolling is all about, watch this short 3 minute Washington Post video clip: How feminist blogger Anita Sarkeesian fights trolls.

keyword: surveillance

From these two videos, find a meme that relates to them, then apply the keywords in the explanation of the meme. Directions are above ^^^^^ at the very top.