Towson professor discusses gender roles in today's society
Jazzmen Tynes
News | 2/7/07
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Mass communication professor Darren C. Goins spoke to a group of students about performative gender roles in society as part of the Every Other Wednesday discussion series.
The discussion series, sponsored by the department of mass communication and communication studies and the Towson University Speech and Debate program, is designed to "foster discussion and debate on the Towson University campus on issues that are relevant to our population," according to a handout distributed at the event.
Goins' speech centered on John Leguizamo's one-man show "Freak: A Semi-Demi-Quasi-Pseudo-Autobiography," in which Leguizamo dissects his life, revealing details about his upbringing growing up with a range of adult influences, all of whom had an effect on his view of social and gender roles in society.
Goins said that although "Freak" is about Leguizamo's life, his experiences are common everyday experiences.
"Leguizamo presents 'Freak' as an autobiography. He tells stories from birth, all the way up to young adulthood. What I think is most interesting about Leguizamo's rites of passage is that they mirror our own rites of passage in society," he said.
By being exposed to behaviors that enforce traditional gender identities, gender roles are learned, Goins said.
Throughout Leguizamo's life, he was influenced by three genres of elder, Goins said.
"First and foremost are the conventional elders, represented by Leguizamo's father, Fausto, his grandparents and his cousins. The second genre includes his uncle Sanny," he said. "And finally we end up with a group of performers that he identifies with, and he tries to exemplify."
Goins said that society is shaped through a series of tests, which begin in early in life.
"We start of with the idea of the novice. Right now as young adults, what we've got going on is the idea of being separated from society and going through a series of tests taught by elders. The elders are responsible for shaping that individuals performance of masculinity or femininity," he said. "At the end of the phase of initiation you reenter society as an initiated member of the tribe so to speak."
The discussion series, sponsored by the department of mass communication and communication studies and the Towson University Speech and Debate program, is designed to "foster discussion and debate on the Towson University campus on issues that are relevant to our population," according to a handout distributed at the event.
Goins' speech centered on John Leguizamo's one-man show "Freak: A Semi-Demi-Quasi-Pseudo-Autobiography," in which Leguizamo dissects his life, revealing details about his upbringing growing up with a range of adult influences, all of whom had an effect on his view of social and gender roles in society.
Goins said that although "Freak" is about Leguizamo's life, his experiences are common everyday experiences.
"Leguizamo presents 'Freak' as an autobiography. He tells stories from birth, all the way up to young adulthood. What I think is most interesting about Leguizamo's rites of passage is that they mirror our own rites of passage in society," he said.
By being exposed to behaviors that enforce traditional gender identities, gender roles are learned, Goins said.
Throughout Leguizamo's life, he was influenced by three genres of elder, Goins said.
"First and foremost are the conventional elders, represented by Leguizamo's father, Fausto, his grandparents and his cousins. The second genre includes his uncle Sanny," he said. "And finally we end up with a group of performers that he identifies with, and he tries to exemplify."
Goins said that society is shaped through a series of tests, which begin in early in life.
"We start of with the idea of the novice. Right now as young adults, what we've got going on is the idea of being separated from society and going through a series of tests taught by elders. The elders are responsible for shaping that individuals performance of masculinity or femininity," he said. "At the end of the phase of initiation you reenter society as an initiated member of the tribe so to speak."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Glenor Roberts
posted 2/12/07 @ 2:05 AM EST
I enjoyed reading this piece as it highlighted a conflict between tests as a structure imposed from outside as against a person (young) aiming to accomplish in her / his own life. (Continued…)
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