Gender norms

Society set different  rules for each gender of what can each do. Somehow everyone just got use to this and this is what we call now as gender "norms." For instance, men have to walk a certain way or else he will be judged. Everyone has to act normal. However is there even such thing? The concept of normality was created by society just like everything else in this world. Therefore should we comply to this principles set by people who are not very open minded? These people who think killing others is completely normal because they do not comply to the gender norms. Everyone should not fear being themselves because no one really has a control over that. Although throughout the years, many had tried to hide it because it is not "normal." Judith Butler states that people sees something that is unusual and it causes them to feel uncomfortable. When people are uncomfortable they usually do something such as being angry or judge someone. No one should fear being themselves. 

No one is normal

No one in this world in normal. Everyone is different and has their personality to show who they are. I believe that no one should feel like an outcast in our society. Not even race, gender, or gays should feel discriminated. Why should our world continue hurting those who are different? Like how Judith Butler mentioned, "Why would someone be killed by the way they walk?" Its insane how just by a walk, others feel that it must vanish. Who cares by the way people walk, talk, or act. thats who they are. No one should be able to tell someone not to do or how to be. We shouldn't be sexiest in our society in 2015. We all need to understand the fact that we are who we are and we must be treated with respect. 

Who Defines Normal? And What is Their Authority?

The world as we know has diversified tremendously especially in the past century. Things like women in lines of work that men usually occupied, more openly gay people etc. So how do we define a person as normal. The answer people usually go to would be the kind of people from their society or clique. With all these different forms of communities shows diversity, but yet still today all we see in the news if white cop kills black man, women make 20% less then men in the same exact job. It is hard to see who writes these norms and who controls them. In the end of the day people still follow them so is it our fault or the people in "charge." In Judith Butler's video clip she stats that "It seems to me that we are talking about an extremely deep panic or fear, an anxiety that pertains to gender norms." Some people might see something or someone that does not match the norms that they are used to and might cause them to be uncomfortable about it. People might take this discomfort or anger to the extreme as try to maybe show that this certain group is better then yours and you should be like us. Not everyone takes this route though some understand people's differences and accepts them. So people that do act out like the clip with Butler and do things like killing that boy because he was "different." I think people like this feel as if their power is threatened and that someone being different from them challenges that power.
All people should be willing to accept the diversity this world brings us. People should not have to worry whether they fit in, but worry about other matters like what major they want in college. People should not have anxiety on whether someone accepts me because I walk or talk differently.

Should there be a such thing as "Normal"

I ask the question should there be a such thing as “normal”? And to that question I would have to say no. I would have to say no because everybody is different, even though they might dress the same, walk the same, talk the same or act the same that doesn't mean that they all the same. We all have a different style, act, walk and tone but some may just be similar. The one being the most similar seems to be the “normal” because everyone of one gender does it or because it's the one that people have been doing the longest. But what or who sets what is “normal” or not.
In Judith Butler’s video she speaks about a boy who had a feminine walk that is until he was killed by other boys who didn't like his feminine walk. Butler explains that the boy has had the feminine walk since he little and it started to exaggerate as he got older. Soon the boy was thrown off a bridge and killed by other boys for the way he walked. Butler then asks why does a boy have to be killed for the way he walks. And I can't answer the question myself but I might have a reason.
The boy was killed for his walk which seemed not normal for a male but who or what said and demonstrates a “normal” walk for males. Gender sets these “normal” roles that one should do based on his gender. The reason I believe that the boy was killed for his walk was because the other boys were afraid of the walk becoming normal for males. Males are taught how to walk like a “male” just by observing and that sets the “norms”. People based what is normal by the majority. If males started to walk in a feminine way then sooner or later the walk will become normal and that's what the boys feared of the walk becoming so they killed the boy. Genders are supposed to be walk a specific way, talk a specific way, act a specific way and dress like a specific way because if they don't then they will not be seen as normal but different and that's what people are in fear of being seen as. A male doesn't want to be seen as “gay” or “homosexual” as the same goes for females.
  In the end a person shouldn't be killed for doing something that isn't considered normal to them as one thing may be normal to one country or person but unusual to others. People need to realize that everything changes including the “normal” way of doing things and therefore there shouldn't be a such thing as something to be considered “normal”.

Gender Norms

              Human life is very special and important. Someone losing their life is very unfortunate under any circumstance. Judith Butler states in his article Phylosophe that " he walks with what we call a "swish"-a kind of . . . his hips move back and forth in a "feminine" way. Someone being murdered for the way they walk is very sad and should not be taken lightly. I believe that the kids that killed the young man did not understand or even cared to understand why he walked that way, and that since they did not understand why he walked that way they were afraid and felt uncomfortable because they were not used to anyone being that way. Another reason why I think they killed that kid was because they were on a masculine power trip and they did not want  to let a kid they thought was to girly to go on living because it might have made them look bad for not proving themselves. I also think that the kids might have gotten caught up in the moment of beating up the kid and ended up throwing him over the bridge. Since the kid was not acting the same way a "regular boy" would act the other boys felt the urge to end his feministic qualities. Someone not complying with their gender norms is not an excuse to kill them.

What is "Normal"?

Prior to recent years, it has been determined that men and women are different. They react to situations differently, speak differently and move differently. Therefore, the two different genders have been given two different roles in society. Men bear the duty to protect and provide for the family because of their naturally sturdier build. Women, on the other hand, are seen to have a gentler attitude and the ability to express their feelings in a clearer manner. Accordingly, they are inclined to care for the children as well as undertake the majority of household chores. This is what society generally saw as normal.
However, over a couple of decades, this definition of "normal" took a sharp turn and transformed drastically. Men, as well as women, are now providing for their family. Furthermore, women have almost no constraints on what jobs they can acquire. Two women are running for President as I type this. Moreover, it is popularly believed that it is very difficult to live in today's era without both sexes holding a profession. The traditional responsibilities of women have also been shared with men. Males are now chefs, and spectacular ones at that. The most popular example being Gordon Ramsay, the despised yet beloved host of the primetime competition "Hell's Kitchen".
Considering the extraordinary transformations that gender roles have taken during the last decades, it's completely blasphemous that someone was killed for the feminine fashion in which they walk. Whole civilizations have altered their way of viewing men and women and now they have equal opportunities in pursuing whatever their goal might be. Yet somehow, for something as simple an action as walking, conventional gender norms are aggressively forced upon some with fatal consequences if he/she fails to comply.
The only explanation one can imagine is that the robust and deeply rooted gender norms of how men and women should behave has yet to mix with each other in society the same way their roles have. The incorporation of behavior traits into each gender's norms has yet to occur. Or perhaps it has but it is not yet popularly assimilated into society. It is not yet prevalent. Humans have a desire to fit in, so if a group begins to persuade others to change their beliefs about gender norms, instances such as the one told by Judith Butler would eventually cease to ensue. Slowly but surely, the gender norms as a whole, will cease to exist. It all depends on public belief.

Gender Pride

Being out of place is something that every person would not want to feel, but it cannot be helped if the case was about sexuality. A lot of people in this world are bothered by things like him being gay or her being a lesbian. In the video clip of Judith Butler's speech, she asked a question, "Why would someone be killed for the way they walk?" It was actually not fair for the guy who was killed just by walking differently. In addition, the group of guys that Butler mentioned was obviously full of pride. Furthermore, they do not want their masculinity to be stained by some random guy walking like a girl. It does not make sense at all, I mean that everyone here on Earth is different and has their own unique qualities like a trademark for their entire being so why exterminate someone that is different from you and he or she does not even bother you. This should be prevented in order for other scenarios such as this to not happen ever again. People should just respect and mind their own genders to begin with and it is pride what drives these unreasonable actions to take place.

We all have different qualities and there is no such thing as normal. We are all people. We live on the same planet. We all breath the same air. If people where to look on these cases then there should be no problem at all. I do not get the fact that the guy who walked different has to pay the debt that he did not even have right from the beginning. Why should different people pay the price of being unique?

Gender Roles

I do believe that there is a correlation between coercion and gender norms. In the society that we live in today, we are taught sexist ideals from media, family, and sometimes even friends on a daily basis. Unfortunately, for a majority of my life I grew up thinking strictly by gender norms. For example, my clothing- if I do not dress "girly" then I will not be liked by boys. However, I soon began to realize that women are not objects for men- we are equal, leading to me becoming a feminist. I think that gender roles are instilled in every person around the world due to our past history and how it continues to flow into our modern world and sadly will not disappear anytime soon.

Judith Butler states that "...he walks with what we call a “swish”—a kind of . . . his hips move back and forth in a “feminine” way". This displays gender norms and how being "feminine" is an insult and seen as being weak. Tragedies have and continue to emerge because of people criticizing others for their sexuality and essentially not complying to their gender norms, and for some reason, feel the need for them to be eliminated, as like the boy who Judith Butler spoke of.

There is no such thing as "normal".

Our society is going through several changes that people are not ready for. For examples, for some reason there are some individuals that are scared or not accepting the fact that there is a diversity within the population. It is ignorant to think that everyone has to be exactly the same and act "normal". There is no such thing as "normal" in our society. This word has a different representation to every person because they have there own image of the perfect of how men and women are suppose to be. Gender norms and stereotypes cause conflict and arguments to arise because people choose to show their individuality and personality to stand out within the crowd. In a speech written by Judith Butler called phylosophe she shares a story of a young man that was killed just because he was different and did not fit the "normal" characteristics of a man. Killing a man can not be justified by the fact that he acted feminine or had a certain hop to his walk. Who are we to judge who is as a person? We all have the liberty to express ourselves however we like. Our society needs to realize the more they push and support this conduct, we will see some terrible outcomes that will be hard to prevent once the damage is done. Everyone deserves the right to be treated the same way as everyone else.

Normality doesn't exist

In the YouTube clip the author highlights the main question of why should anyone be murder for acting different or "Feminine". I believe our society has reached a level of stupidity that is far from regaining back due to our now customs of how things are scoped. To be different or al least not like everyone else should not be judge or even worse violently cease. Is it a sexist thing? Or a simple manly domination? Who knows? Bottom line is that we aren't sexiest , we have learned to custom that perspective through a revolutionary society. Manhood shouldn't depend on putting others down, but on standing for the basic human rights of both genders and reach a comprehensive establishment in our society.

Gender Norms

Gender norms and coercion portrays an enormous deal in our society and culture but it should not have to be that way. There shouldn't be such a thing as a gender norm for masculinity and femininity. You should be able to do and act however you want and absolutely no one should tell you what to do. There shouldn't be a fear or panic if you don't comply with gender norms. No one should feel threatened, killed, or hurt just for being themselves. That poor boy that died in Maine because of the way he walked and that his swish because more pronounced does not give anyone the right to end it. He has the right to walk and act like he wants, it's his life and he does what makes him happy. Those boys that expunged and negated the boy's walk by beating him and throwing him over a bridge to die are examples of the all the ignorance that revolves in society. That type of behavior is unhuman and cruel. People teach kids to follow the gender norms and that automatically leads to them rejecting people that aren't "normal." Everyone is unique and there is no such thing as being "normal." 

Being raised in a "machista" way of life, I endure countless moments in which I was tought over and over that the man is who must endure all the tough decisions deciding on every aspect. Providing shelter, food, protection, future and having everything set for the family. I remember since a child I was raised to work in so many conditions and not be afraid of the people around me. I remember being scared of getting near machines that would kill you in a instant and noticing that they werent used properly but you needed to use them in that manner. I would be made fun of by the people around me. Both sexes have been given an image of how they are supposed to act and if they dont act that way, they are automaticaly portrayed as weak and the one to torture since he would do nothing.
It comes back to the statement said by Judith Butler when she says  “Why would someone be killed for the way they walk?”. Over the years I witnessed many of the people I know be treated less of a person because of their sexual orientation. One of them was a cousin of mine who I remember telling me he was terrified of telling his family because our families are extremely "Machista". In school he was bullied for his preference and the activities he likes to be involved in. Society has given a image that the man is the "protector" while the woman is "defenseless". These customs and ideas have brainwashed us through many forms including social media. Have you wondered why they only show females portraying the housekeeper rather than males?

Growing up in the environment I was in, I learned a lot about gender norms and what was expected between genders. I come from a very old fashioned " men are superior than women" type of environment. In my community the men are supposed to basically dominate all aspects of the females life and seeing that implemented on my sister made me really resent gender norms. I can see clearly that gender norms are wrong, they are based on sexism and should be excluded from society. Humans can be unpredictable we should not expect anything from anyone. The main thing us as people should be doing is treating others the way we want to be treated. The kid in Butler's "Phylosophe" that was killed because he was feminine did nothing wrong. The children that attacked him and threw him over the bridge were harassing him only because they didn't like him or they were uncomfortable with the unknown. This is a big flaw in our society and portrays us as shallow minded. Our new generation needs to learn from our old generation and  the mistakes they did. Being so close minded only makes things worse and divided us  humans, it causes sexism, racism, stereotyping; all things that start conflict. Maybe if the world wasn't so close minded, the kid with the walk would probably still be alive.

Gender Norms

In this society gender norms plays a huge part of our life. Many people care so much of what others think. Many people fear of what others have to say about them, they want to be "normal." Everyone is born with different characteristics , some people talk different , some people have different tones in there voices. I like the quote of Judith Butler when she says  “Why would someone be killed for the way they walk?” I totally agree with Judith and, I ask why? Why would someone kill someone else just for being themselves? Everyone is different , everyone has there own way , there own style , everyone is unique in there own type of way. I speak for myself as well , I accept who I am and everyone's opinions don't matter to me because at the end of the day I'm going to do what makes me happy. Sometimes your family won't support you , however there's other people there to support you , there are friends, teachers, even the counsellors. There's always people to talk to. It's okay to be different because no one in life is perfect. However I speak for myself again I know how it feels to everyone look at you different for your family to turn your back on you and try to change you, it's difficult but there's always a way. Suicide should never come to my mind and no one should kill another person just because there different , because there different as well.

Gender Norms

Sadly, there is a connection between complying with gender norms and coercion. Because of gender norms, society has learned to judge, criticize, tease, and even murder other people, as mentioned in Butler's "phylosophe", because they are different and do not follow the norms of society. It is sickening to see people hide who they truly are because they are afraid of their safety and well-being. It is not right for people to lose their lives because of their sexuality or any other differences. I believe that everyone has the right to have their own opinion; however, criticisms should not come to a point where that person feels threatened or giving that person thoughts of suicide. For example, a few years ago, the news reported a young college student committing suicide because he was made fun of his sexuality. This is wrong and does not show a good example of how our society works. During this day and age, people should be able to come out of their bubble and be able to express themselves publicly without being judged. They should not be able to feel threatened or uncomfortable just for being different.