I think many of you, whether you will admit it or not, remember an episode of Jersey Shore last season when a man at a bar punched a female character, Snooki, in the face. It was a huge controversy, so huge that MTV was not allowed to show footage of the actual punch on the show because it was far too obscene and violent for their viewers. (although viewers of Jersey shore already see heavy drinking, partial nudity, and extreme swearing on every episode of the show). It's interesting how showing that scene on TV was strictly forbidden seeing as my little sister was watching the episode of the Nickelodeon show iCarly in which a female character slapped a male character, and the audience laughed. So we are allowed to laugh when girls hit guys but we can't even see it when guys hit girls?
Today in class we talked a lot about our our own fight stories, and several people brought up that there are differences in the way people act in fights depending on what genders are involved. As seen in Jersey Shore, it is considered a huge disaster for any guy to hit a girl. Recently I was talking with a guy friend who said he would not hit a girl, no matter what. Even if the girl was the same size and strength as he is, he would think of the situation differently if he was in a fight with a girl. He said this was based on the fact that he didn't want to be seen as an "abuser," something that would undoubtedly happen if he hit her, even if she hit him first or he was acting in self defense. Not saying that I want to get hit, but if his statement was based soley on principle and not the fact that girls, in general, are smaller and can bench less weight than guys, then it seems to be a huge double standard. And even if they were based on the facts, it is not seen as morally wrong when a guy hits a smaller guy, or when a girl hits a smaller girl. What are your thoughts?
Emma,
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. To be completely honest I have never heard of that Jersey Shore episode...but I can guess why it was such a controversy.
Recently in AIS, we have been talking a lot about connotations. These days, the connotation of a boy hitting a girl comes off as more "abusive." I think that has to do with the fact that in most cases, boys are larger than girls. When one enters a fight having true advantages, (ex: size, skill, ability etc.) they then know the outcome is probably in their favor. Relating this idea back to the boy-hits-girl idea, how can you inflict pain on someone else knowing of this unfair advantage? This is where the connotation of abuse most likely originated.
Personally, I think gender doesn't matter within a fight. If a boy hits a boy, a boy hits a girl, a girl hits a girl, a girl hits a boy...WHO CARES! A hit is a hit and they should receive the same punishment. As for the Jersey Shore episode, do you think it would have aired if a boy punched a boy?
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. No matter who hits who, if it inflicts pain on someone it is always wrong. To answer your question, I definitely think the episode would have aired if a boy hit a boy. There is another episode of jersey shore (its embarrassing that I have seen so many episodes) In which one of the main characters punches another guy, and the entire fight was aired.
I disagree with you Sarah. All though I believe that physically harming someone is wrong in both cases, I believe that it is worse for a guy to physically harm a girl vs. the other way around. You stated that you think it "has to do with the fact that in most cases, boys are larger than girl... [and] know the outcome is probably in their favor". I believe that the true reason it is a bigger deal for a guy to hit a girl is due to how different genders react in fights.
ReplyDeleteLast year in english class we talked about how different genders fight. The most widespread response- which I am sure most of us can relate to- is that girls fight with words (or lack of them) sneakily and behind the other girl's back. For boys the consensus was that the fight was dealt with physically and did not result in a held grudge.
This point was even emphasized when Mr. Bolos asked us who had ever gotten in a fist fight in class saying that it probably applied mostly to boys. I believe that the differences in the way that the two genders work out fights is why a boy hitting a girl comes off as more 'abusive'. The lack of the acceptance from a girl being hit is because it is not in the nature of most girls to become physical in a fight and so a boy hitting a girl seems that much worse.
To add to your Anna's comment, girls usually have much more emotions attached to their fighting. If a girl were punched she would be much more emotionally hurt than if a guy was punched by a girl. For guys, a lot of physical fighting doesn't invovle their emotions but instead they are just standing their ground.I also feel like they can brush themselves off much easier.
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