What does the choice to “be perceived as powerful” (Levy 268) by acting, sounding, or looking like someone from a more powerful group tell us about the society we live in? Does it work? In other words, is what’s described in Levy’s article a potentially effective effort to be perceived as powerful? How do the “This Is What a ______________ Looks Like” actions respond to this choice? Comment on one of these and use the text of Levy’s article in your response.
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Remembering Yoshino’s call for conversations about when conformity is required and when it is not (558-9), evaluate whether or not Levy’s article will contribute to such conversations. Will it encourage people to talk to each other across genders? Will it encourage women who see different paths to empowerment to talk to each other? Give examples from the text that will encourage or discourage conversations.
September 29, 2015 at 6:55 pm
Having the need to make yourself look more powerful by pretending to be someone you are not means that we live in a society that only looks at few to be powerful, and we stereotype those who are in power. And by stereotyping those in power, the ones who do not fit those assumptions will do the best they can to trick people into thinking that they are that stereotype. I think this also mean that we live in a society of people who are trying to be something they are not, and that nowadays anyone will simply cover who they are just to get further ahead in life. And sadly enough, by pretending to be someone you are not is enough to gain power.” I pried the door open with Gucci heels, worked, struggled, and climbed the ladder” said Carrie Gerlach in an interview which proves how she pretended to be someone she’s not but still got ahead. This proves how our society looks up to those who can drop their pride and lose who they really are just to make more money.
September 29, 2015 at 8:17 pm
The concept of being “perceived as powerful” highlights numerous flaws in today’s society. Levy’s main point is all about the fact that the world we live in encourages women to objectify others, and aspire to be objectified themselves. She believes there are many girls acting less “girly” in order to fit in with the guys, and finds this to be a ridiculous and unnecessary act. This can be supported from her quote on page 268 “Women who’ve wanted to be perceived as powerful have long found it more efficient to identify with men than to try and elevate the entire female sex to their level.” From this example and many others, one could assume that Levy holds the opinion that in today’s society, power comes from masculinity, and women are bending over backwards to get on the same level that men are seen at. I don’t believe that this works because it’s forcing women to change who they are to better fit a role with authority. This reflects the whole idea of the “This Is What a _____ Looks Like” posts, because they show that you do not have to be a man to be a strong, intelligent, and influential person in this society.
September 30, 2015 at 2:26 pm
This was a great way to connect Levy’s views on F.C.P.s to “This is What a ______ Looks Like”. I strongly agree that the ideas of F.C.P.s are challenged by that the T.I.W.A._____.L.L. movement stands for and I like how you mentioned it is a flaw in today’s society.
September 30, 2015 at 3:24 am
The choice to be “perceived as powerful” (Levy 268) by acting, sounding, or looking like someone from a more powerful group suggests that our society today is all about appearance. Substance isn’t really viewed as something of importance compared to appearance. It’s as if people really believe that by looking successful, you automatically are. I can understand that it may be a gateway to being successful or powerful, but there is more to it. In my opinion, society is more concerned with what you look like.. rather than if you’re qualified. In some cases it could work to the persons benefit, but it shouldn’t be the main focus. In Levy’s article, the women took on characteristics a man would generally have. But what they were portraying wasn’t anything to admire. Potentially, acting like someone of higher authority does get you places, but taking on another gender’s outlook on life is a tad extreme. When questioned on her ethics, Nevins replied to a reporter with “I love the sex stuff, I love it! What’s the big deal?”. At that moment, she wasn’t acting the way society would prefer her to carry herself. But to come off as powerful/ successful, she figured speaking her mind (quite like a man would) would be beneficial for her in the end. That action perfectly corresponds with “This is what a (wo-man) looks like”. Someone who manipulated themselves to be what society perceives as “great”.
September 30, 2015 at 1:16 pm
I totally agree with you that society believes in appearance over substance. It’s unfair that there is that bias present still nowadays and that people with similar or the same credentials would get hired over others only because of their appearance whether it be gay, lesbian, transgender, male, female, white black, hispanic, or anything else. Everyone should have equal opportunities.
September 30, 2015 at 1:12 pm
In todays society, “to be perceived as powerful” (Levy 268) sometimes means objectifying yourself to act more like a group that’s in power. That’s just it though, by doing that, you are objectifying yourself and it’s basically giving into whatever bias people still have. Levy mentions that a woman would have to work twice as hard as men and do it wearing heels, this shows that the woman working this hard has substance. Women who objectify themselves have given into the idea that a person is not based off of their substance, but instead off of how they are perceived. Society puts women at a disadvantage all the time still. Even though her has been progress, a man would still get hired over a woman even if they had the same credentials. I know that it’s a hard world and sometimes you have to change your appearance to make life easier, but I think that changing yourself from acting like a woman to a man to show that you have those qualities and give yourself a benefit is extreme to say the least. For some women this is effective, they act like a man, they get the job. But it’s also effective for women to still act like themselves and get jobs even if it is a little harder. Yoshino would be disappointed in the women who do this because it is covering up who they really are to make their lives easier. The This is What a _______ Looks like movement would be something that I believe not only Levy is impressed by, but also Yoshiko and all the people who have had a disadvantage to get to where they are now. The “I Look Like a Surgeon” movement was really empowering to me because I want to become a surgical PA and while that’s not an easy road I know it will be beneficial in the end. There may be disadvantages that I encounter, but I’m not going to change who I am to please society or anyone. I believe that the empowerment you receive from yourself and those that love and support you is enough to not have to stoop down to the level of objectifying yourself.
September 30, 2015 at 2:22 pm
I strongly believe Levy’s article on “Female Chauvinist Pigs” will contribute to conformations about whether conformity is required or not because. Yoshino advocated the idea of protecting one’s identity and not conforming such as the changing of ones name (a form of assimilation) to be accepted by society. In Levy’s article, she discussed how some women, more specifically Sheila Nevins, were now “post-feminisism” meaning they embody one of the guys and have embraced raunch culture. Levy defines Nevins as a “loophole woman” which is a woman who is “an exception in a male-dominated field who’s presence supposedly proves its penetrability”(Levy 268) but at what cost? By conforming to societies sexist views on women, Nevins was able to obtain a position of power and believes women being viewed as sex objects is acceptable and those who disagree are out of touch as she responded to the question (on why she had a show about strippers). By incorporating the mindsets of the female chauvinist pigs in her article, Levy provides living examples of the dangers of conformity and how the “post feminism” women no longer care about benefiting all women as a group and are beginning to treat women like pieces of meat. Levy’s quotations from the FCP’s are shocking, vulgar, and even offensive which will evoke others, regardless of gender, to discuss the issue of women conforming to become more “like men” and the dangers that come with it, such as the degradation of other women. Levy’s article will also encourage women who see different paths to empowerment to talk to each other because FCPs serve as a prime example of what not to become and the new empowered women will find ways to feel better about themselves without raunch culture.
September 30, 2015 at 2:27 pm
Conversations**** not conformations it was my autocorrect.
September 30, 2015 at 4:34 pm
I think “be percieved as power” shows that our society has an idea of what power looks like. Which from the readings i believe a white male is our societies idea of what someone powerful should look like. In the past trying to mimic this image of power worked well, to this day it still does. For the most part things are starting to change, “this is what____ looks like” articles and hashtags are trying to change things. People want to change this false image of power we have. All of these groups are showing that power is not always white, not always male, even not always Christian. For example, Isis Anchalee started the trend ” #ilooklikeanEngineer” after she was photographed in an ad for her company. She got a lot of negative and sexist comments. It was just an ad for her company and people had mixed reviews because she is a smart and attractive women. She started this trend to show people what engineers looked like, many women posted pictures with this hashtag. All of different sizes, shapes, and ethnicities. I think these trends show you that you dony have to be “one of the guys” or “act like a man” to be successful or powerful.
September 30, 2015 at 4:37 pm
Levy’s predominant point is that women are willing to objectify and/or tone themselves down to be more similar to one of the guys in order to be “perceived as powerful.” This is shown when she says “Women who have wanted to be perceived as powerful have long found it more efficient to identify with men than to try and elevate the entire female sex to their level.” (pg. 268) This is a trend that appears to hopefully be coming to a decline, as seen in the “This Is What A _____ Looks Like” articles; people are starting to embrace the fact that they can be powerful and successful on their own accord and it’s something that’s refreshing to see in the previously male dominated professions like surgery and engineering. I aspire to be a surgeon one day, so seeing the “I look like a surgeon” movement and what looks like the beginning of the end of sexism in the profession makes me feel much more optimistic.
September 30, 2015 at 4:52 pm
The choice to “be perceived as powerful” (Levy 268) by acting, sounding, or looking like someone from a more powerful group it shows that our society is one sided. It’s fueled by this perception that to strive in life you must be or act a certain way and if you don’t fall in line or fit the criteria, then you’re counted as the “dead weight”. It’s like Social Darwinism. The ones that are able to make it to the top are the strongest and the rest are considered “weaklings”. This “perception of power” does work. Most people do acquire the power they’re seeking, but they are also faced with major conflicts that can force them to lose their power in the long run. Everything Levy has said in her article ties in with the assumption that this system of “acting powerful” is what created a “Female Chauvinist Pig. Women that act “like man” and according to Levy “it doesn’t do much for the sisterhood” (269).
September 30, 2015 at 5:07 pm
The idea of being “perceived as powerful” highlights how our many people in our society are focused on becoming “the one” or the person in charge. The thought is that you are considered to be successful in this society only if you have money and have power. Most people have a quality about them that doesn’t fit the typical American White Male image and sadly that alone can make a perfectly qualified person unable to achieve that sort of success. People now have to change who they are in order to have a chance. What Levy discusses in her article is these women’s way to alter the image of who they are (in this case their sexuality) in order to be perceived by others as more powerful. They can “pull out the hot card and let them look at you…and maybe you get to feel like a stripper does”. Levy is highlighting how our society for the most part only allows for certain types of people to feel powerful and how people have to shift their identities to try and fit into that ideal for however long they may want. These women only need to shift into it for smaller amounts of time but others shift who they are entirely in order to achieve greater success. I think the people in the “This is what a scientist looks like” is a little different then this situation. I feel as if the people in those posts are trying to show that anyone can be a scientist even if they don’t fit the stereotype of a what society thinks a scientist is. But they aren’t being prevented from getting jobs like someone would be if they were a minority or gay for example. The scientists don’t have to alter who they are, but the minorities and gays might have to in order to have a chance to succeed.
September 30, 2015 at 5:44 pm
I feel that having the choice to act and look powerful by trying to copy someone elses demeanor is not good. This shows how the distribution of power/opportunity is not equal among all races and gender thus people are trying to act like someone they aren’t just to get by. I think women decide to do this because they don’t get enough credit in our society today. In the Ariel Levy article she adds a quote from Nevin which says “To hang onto her position,she has to appear that much more confident,aggressive and unconflicted about her choices-she has to do everything Fred Asatire does backwards,in heels”(268). Clearly Nevin is trying to show how women have to do this to keep up with todays society and most importantly to be like “one of the guys” to be successful. This relates to “this is what a……… looks like” since it shows how there should be not be any type of stereotype for anything we do in the world.
September 30, 2015 at 7:21 pm
It shows that women think that in order to be shown as a person of power, they need to be on the same level as a man and they think that it will be easier if they “identify” themselves as one instead of trying to get on the same level by acting like a female. This is supported by Levy saying ” Women who’ve wanted to be perceived as powerful have long found it more efficient to idenitfy with men that to try to elevate the entire female sex to their level.” This shows that people will do and think anything in order to get what they feel is good. I do not think that this is an effective way to be perceived as powerful because yes you could possibly get to that level of “perceived as powerful”, but look at what you had to do to get there. You, possibly, miss represented yourself to be shown as powerful instead of working hard to get to that level as your true self. In reguards to the “This is what a _________ looks like”. Those articles are showing that somewhere, what ever profession it was, someone could have miss represented them before so all people see now is how that one person acted. They do not give a person a chance to represent themselves before making an opionion about them. They judge a book by it’s cover so to say.
September 30, 2015 at 3:58 pm
I think Levy’s article in a way could very well spark a conversation about genders, in response to Yoshino’s call for conversatios in regards to conformity. Because we already have certain laws in place when it comes to the subject, a lot of people may think they need to get their feelings across and understood so that those that feel differently can understand their point of view. I think it would encourage different women to talk about their views. The subject Levy wrote on is most likely something a lot of women feel, whether they voice it or not. Each sides may have valid points behind their reasoning, and if they have an open mind they may have a broader understanding of the subject or different perspective in the end.
September 30, 2015 at 4:07 pm
Levy speaks a lot about being “perceived as powerful” and how women go about trying to obtain this type of image. She says that “some of the most glamorous and intriguing women in our history have been compared to men,” but it doesn’t seem right that being compared to men is such a high praise. People should be able to be successful and attain power regardless of their sex. The “This Is What A ___ Looks Like” videos take the stance that anybody is able to be a prominent figure in their chosen careers and it’s something that I think Levy would wholeheartedly support.
November 23, 2015 at 2:13 am
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