http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/04/sports/homecoming-queen-and-winning-field-goal-on-same-night.html?hp
This article, entitled "The Kicking Queen," made it to the front page of the New York Times last night. It describes an 18 year old high-school girl, named Brianna Amat, in all her glory: she was crowned homecoming queen within an hour of kicking a winning field goal on her football team. "When the tiara was placed on her head, she was wearing not a dress, like the other girls in the homecoming court, but her No. 12 uniform, pads and all." It's worth noting that Brianna was also the first girl to play football for the school's varsity team.
Brianna's story is a great one that marks the strides our society and the media have taken in empowering women. However, it is still interesting to me that an event like this is important enough to make the front page of a major mainstream newspaper. It certainly makes for a good story with a catchy title that draws readers in, yet the mere fact that this article was published (let alone that it was featured as the main headline) speaks to the supposed shock-factor of having a female fulfill two traditionally opposing gender roles simultaneously. The story also echoes some of the discussions below about women in sports, and how the beauty and attractiveness of female athletes can often be the springboards to their success.
This article, entitled "The Kicking Queen," made it to the front page of the New York Times last night. It describes an 18 year old high-school girl, named Brianna Amat, in all her glory: she was crowned homecoming queen within an hour of kicking a winning field goal on her football team. "When the tiara was placed on her head, she was wearing not a dress, like the other girls in the homecoming court, but her No. 12 uniform, pads and all." It's worth noting that Brianna was also the first girl to play football for the school's varsity team.
Brianna's story is a great one that marks the strides our society and the media have taken in empowering women. However, it is still interesting to me that an event like this is important enough to make the front page of a major mainstream newspaper. It certainly makes for a good story with a catchy title that draws readers in, yet the mere fact that this article was published (let alone that it was featured as the main headline) speaks to the supposed shock-factor of having a female fulfill two traditionally opposing gender roles simultaneously. The story also echoes some of the discussions below about women in sports, and how the beauty and attractiveness of female athletes can often be the springboards to their success.
In the Don Quixote readings(s) Dulcinea is the presented as a very masculine female in appearance. Such a representation asked makes me wonder a few things, 1. Are averagely unattractive women represented as masculine because they do not have the 'normal feminine' features most find appealing? 2. Are the masculine representations of women actually women, if so are they hermaphrodites? 3. If they are not hermaphrodites are they what is now considered transgendered women who are dressed like a woman? 4. Are they transgendered men dressed like women? Or are they of repressed homo-erotic fantasies of men. I guess Don Quixote will never know which is which, although in the clip yesterday he could plainly see Dulcinea shaving...The professor pointed out that scene was not in the reading, but it clearly illustrates an acceptance, for whatever reason.
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