Satiric Thunder: Prejudice and Masculinity

By Sally Raskoff

Is our culture changing how we define gender? Are our cultural standards about masculine and feminine easing a bit? 

There are many people who feel that gender equality has been achieved and that thus we have no need for an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), no need for affirmative action based on gender, and no need to address educational or workplace discrimination. 

Gender – and our gender norms - are embedded in our society in many different ways, and are most visible in the media. Our most popular performers conform to the gender standards of the times. Most actors who get the lead roles and can “open” a movie do have distinct physical features that align with our standards of gender. (See an earlier post of mine for examples.) The popularity of some young male celebrities who are not typically masculine has had some suggesting that our traditional definitions of gender are eroding.

Does the popularity of Johnny Depp and Zac Efron, among others, suggest change in our norms of masculinity? Both of these men can be described not only as handsome but pretty. They both have been ascribed a type of feminine attractiveness as they are perhaps more androgynous than strictly masculine. (Androgynous combines the gender characteristics ascribed to both men – andro – and women – gyn.) 

Speaking of actors, I saw Tropic Thunder, Ben Stiller’s new film the other day. This film does much more than satirize Hollywood. Most of the press on this film  focuses on either the racial issues surrounding Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of “a dude, playing a dude, playing another dude” or on the treatment of people with mental challenges, who are referred to in the movie as “retards”.

My reaction to the film’s presentation of these two issues aligns with my opinion on the entire project. I think it is a brilliant satiric exploration of our society’s inability to really deal with issues of difference. While the focus on race and mental disabilities are obvious – and brilliantly written and acted – the movie also raise issues about masculinity and gender norms.

Take a look at one of the ads featuring Downey. The movie’s premise rests on a film company that is making a war film, so the actors are playing actors who are playing soldiers. War films are bastions of masculinity; in them, competition and power as primary tasks and goals. The fire and expression in this ad directly relate to the connection of masculinity with danger, aggressiveness and violence. Each of the actors plays a masculine stereotype and they are all involved in uber-masculine behaviors throughout the film.

I won’t spoil the film (too much anyway) by getting more specific about which scenes actively and directly satirize (and challenge) our culture’s masculine norms; I challenge you to watch the film and look at it with a gendered lens. 

In this film and in general, it is difficult to untangle racial issues from the gender issues since racial issues are easier for our culture to discuss. This doesn’t mean we solve problems with our public discussions, since prejudice has been covert rather than overt as it had been in the past. 

It is easier for many people, especially in sociology classes, to acknowledge how race and ethnicity are part of societal structure and much more difficult to understand gender as a socially constructed category. 

Before we start the celebrations for increasing equality, let’s ponder how people perceive Tropic Thunder. Are people getting that the film is a satire, an exploration and questioning of the complexities of race, ethnicity, and gender? The people complaining about the depiction and treatment of the mentally challenged are apparently not aware of the movie’s subtle (and not so subtle) satiric twist on how people – and Hollywood – treat that subject. 

How we perceive and interpret media depends upon our standpoint, our social position, our experiences, our backgrounds, and our interactions with other people. Would one’s perception of this film differ depending on one’s religious affiliation? Age? Sense of humor? Gender? Race/ethnicity? Social class? Sexual orientation? Drug history or experience? Critical thinking ability? Military connections? Mental capacity or connection to such issues? 

Tropic Thunder is doing very well at the box office, pushing the Dark Knight out of first place. It seems that a satire on race, gender, and many other things is more popular than a superhero film that reflects and reifies our gender norms. Is this good news?

Comments

[Jutta]

Sorry to notify you this late - I recommended your blog as part of BlogDay 2008:

http://malianta.wordpress.com/2008/08/31/blog-day-2008blog-day-2008/

[Jutta]

Here is the correct link: http://malianta.wordpress.com/2008/08/31/blog-day-2008

[Natalie Robinson]

I think movies like Tropic Thunder are good to see, because it shows people that guys can be a bit feminine and girls can be a bit masculine. Nothing has to be black and white,especially now people are more accepting of those who are not the "typical" male or "typical" female and yes how the media is percieved does depend on the person who is viewing it, because everyone is different.

[Shauna Heleski]

I believe that it's a good thing that men now don't have to be all macho and "big and bad". Tropic Thunder is a great example of this. I believe that our society now is starting to understand that men can be allowed to have more feminine jobs and women can have more masculine jobs. You did a great job explaining your point of view!

[Diamond Howard]

I believe that it is good society can accept different people, with different genders and ages. I have never seen Tropic Thunder, but it seem like it may portray this idea of people being their own person in society. I think it is good to bring something new to the table, a new social structure because everyone could use a little change!

[Emily]

I think that our society has changed within the last decade as we are now drawn to actors that have a feminine look to them. The culture’s sense of style has changed and we no longer want only the macho man. The subject of offending others through race, ethnicity and the mentally challenged has always been a strong subject, and often people try to avoid it altogether. Making fun of ourselves and our society is a way to bring these outdated practices into the light. “Tropic Thunder” uses satire to show the audience how ignorant this behavior really is.
Society is slowly changing and people are more open to all types of leading men. Actors such as Depp and Efron are physically pretty, but are also crossing the gender role by playing more sensitive characters.
Having a sister with Down Syndrome, I am interested to see how the majority in our society view people with differences. I felt that the trailer at the end of the movie showing people with mental challenges holding jobs and being respected, contributing part of our culture, surely cleared up any misconceptions that the movie is promoting disrespect of the disabled.
I do feel that we have a long way to go before we can say that achieved equality. The ERA has helped assure equal education for people of color and people with disabilities and has helped women in the workplace. These laws ensure that all people will continue to be treated with respect and dignity.

[Mack George]

It's good to see that the gender roles seen in Hollywood are blending with each, because mainstream society is sure to follow. The men you mentioned playing more feminine roles and look "pretty" are sure indicators of this, as well as the increase of action movies with a woman or women as the protaganists. Gender roles in movies are becoming less defined, and we can only hope society follows this path quickly.

[small chanel]

Nothing has to be black and white,especially now people are more accepting of those who are not the "typical" male or "typical" female and yes how the media is percieved does depend on the person who is viewing it, because everyone is different.

[Katey]

This movie most definately depicted the men as having both female and male attributes.The men cried, dressed as women for plays, and yet, at the following scenes they used guns and were a part of dangerous explosions. Gender equality was portrayed as a joke, a laughing matter, because in all reality it is a laughing matter 'behind the scenes'. Some people are forced to comply with equality, but they also know how to use the technicalities involved in order to hire who they want as their employee, whether a male they believe is better than a female for the particular job description or vice versa. The laws for equality are still a necessary precaution to minimize gender discrimination.The norms expected of certain genders will always be sitting on one's shoulders, no matter how hard the law states otherwise on the legality of the issues. That is why Tropic Thunder is so truly a film of satire.

[ashlyn mancini]

As part of a sociology class, I can see how gender and race are portrayed in movies. Sterotypes are everywhere and I do feel like the norms and stereotypes for the genders is being challeneged. It's exactly how you point it out. This isn't the first article of your that I've read and really liked. Good job.

Ashlyn Mancini

[Stephanie]

I do agree with you. Hollyood has painted an image in our head of what the "perfect" woman and man are supposed to look like.

[Peri]

I really like how you used Tropic Thunder as an example. It shows that it is definitely okay for men to have female and male attributes. Men should know this instead of trying to always be macho and tough.

[Aaron]

I think it's true that, in Hollywood and elsewhere, "traditional" gender roles are being challenged. I've always loved satire because, behind the comedy, there is usually a strong message designed to make us all think harder about a certain issue.

[Kelly]

Thanks for sharing this! I found it exceptionally interesting and relatively humorous. I agree with the aspect that our perception on masculine and famine gender is changing. It’s said that males and females brains are slightly different, but in today’s society there’s people whose actions may cross over into the categories of the opposite sex. Similar to what was said about Zac Efron and Johnny Depp being “pretty”. Once again, thanks for sharing it tied right into what I am learning.