question: Snowball Have you ever felt discriminated because you were pressured to do something you did not want to do based on your gender role expectations? *on powerpoint Group discussion "Dr. Tom" starts. (music will be on powerpoint) Dr. Tom introduces thesis. Thesis: In Louis Ann Yamanaka's Saturday Night at the Pahala Theater, the young girls are constantly pressured to fit their gender role expectations. This pressure drives their actions, thus leading to a loss of self autonomy. (on powerpoint) (When we write this on the board, we should include a definition of autonomy, "one who gives oneself their own law") is a concept found in moral, political, and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it refers to the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision." Dr. Tom: On today's show we will focus on the effect of gender role expectations and how it leads to the loss of self autonomy. The four girls we have today experience the effects of gender role expectations and are here today to share their experiences with us. Audience, your input will be needed, prepare to examine these girls and show how their experiences are shaped by their gender role expectations. Without further ado, Please welcome our first guest, Kala. Kala walks in, and takes a seat Dr. Phil Thank you for being here. Kala- * nods Dr. Phil Please tell me a little about yourself, what do you experience in Pahala? Kala - Yeah hi, I'm Kala. I like to take charge of Lucy, that stupid little girl. I have obviously gone through more life lessons than she ever will. She doesn't even know simple things like no clip your toenails at night, no wear tight jeans, no use somebody's deodorant, especially no sleep with your hair wet because she will become like the sluty Darlene Ebanez, who enjoys masturbation. Oh, let me warn you, don't ever trust men, especially the Filipinos. All they ever want is to faack you, and get inside your pants. And yet, being a girl, you must not resist, just obey the men. Ugh I hate how Jimmy always tries to kiss me and wants to rape me, especially at my graduation party. Even though he is the captain of the volleyball team, he treats me like dirt. He never calls by my name and always tries to molest me. One time he gave me hickeys, and my uncle gave me a lot of lickens with a hose pipe because he thought I was futting around with the boys when I am clearly innocent. My uncle does not believe anything I say and calls me a fuckin' little liar. Whatever. But what I don't get is how he just let Jimmy take me home after the party and does not care if Jimmy rapes me nor not. Just like the girls in the Cheerleaders Growing Up movie, I am taken advantage of by Jimmy and yet no one can help me because all the other girls have their own troubles. I can't even defend myself. Useless. I really want to get out of Pahala, I hate this. I hate my life here. `
Dr. Phil it seems like the men in your life have no respect for your personal boundaries, especially this Jimmy boy, please tell us more. Dr.Phil click slide show to show first quote Kala Quote: "But Jimmy boy grab my wrist and hold me down to the seat. You sit right here, he tell. So you can learn. I shut my eyes. Had four more cheerleaders" (24) Kala Yea, One time, after watching Cheerleaders Growing up at the Pahala Theatre, Jimmy took me away and told me that he is going to rape me exactly how the principal raped the girl. He grabbed my wrist and held me down the seat. He kept telling me to sit right there and watch the movie so I can learn from the girls. It was such a scary experience. All I did was close my eyes and in my mind, there were four more cheerleaders left. Dr. Phil What an experience, Hagedorn group, how do you think this moment in Kala's life shows how her gender role expectations cause her to lose a sense of self autonomy? - give the group a few moments to discuss and talk about it, then have them give their input Dr. Phil yes exactly Here we see an interaction with Kala and Jimmy. Instead of rejecting Jimmy when he forcefully touches her, Kala has no power to fight off her abuser. Her actions or voice would mean nothing in this situation. Jimmy has made it clear that he is going to get what he wants. He holds her down and forcefully dominates her so "she can learn" how to be sexual, and therefore relevant. As Kala closes her eyes, she envisions the cheerleaders who were sexually abused in a film she saw. Out of the five cheerleader, one goes down, Kala, and four remain. This shows the position these girls are in, one where they can do nothing but wait until they become victimized, because that is what they are seen as, a piece of meat for other's pleasure. They are hyper sexualized. In comparison to her interactions with Lucy, where Kala's personality seems to be very dominate and secure, in the face of men, her voice has no power, they have no power to make decisions, but are silent towards their oppressive "roles". Dr. Phil - What else has this Jimmy boy done to you? - Que second quote Kala Quote: "You neva give me nothing yet. I no say nothing. If you no give me nothing. I going take something from you and what I take, you neva going give nobody else ever again" (26-27). After Jimmy's graduation party, he took me away in his car to the Punalu'u by the ponds. I knew what he was going to do and I begged my Uncle to let me stay at the party, but my Uncle was drunk and let Jimmy boy take me away. He took advantage of me that night, he took something from me. cry a little
Dr. Phil I'm sorry that happened, Truong group, please evaluate this situation Kala found herself in. give the group a few moments to discuss and talk about it
Dr. Phil Right, Here we see again another interaction between Kala and Jimmy. Jimmy is once again exerting his dominance over Kala. Its pretty clear that his intention that night was to take her Virginity away. He demands that he should be in possession of her virginity, and therefore her. Jimmy demands that he should be in possession of her virginity and that she should be willing to give it to him, this shows how the girls are expected to abide by the wishes of men. This coercion shows that Kala is again powerless to defend herself. Whats interesting is that her Uncle beat her when she came home with hickies, forced upon her by Jimmy, he called her a slut and whore showing that sexual promiscuity is frowned upon. This shows the conflicting nature of her gender role expectations. Dr. Phil Kala, thank you for being her, your story will not be forgotten Kala thanks for having me. get up and walk off stage. Dr. Phil Please welcome our next guest, Tita! Tita walks. In. Dr. Phil Tita, welcome to the show. Please tell us a little about yourself. Tita: - Hey my name's Tita. Look at those girls. They are trying so hard to get them boys! Psh. They're so stupid and fat. I don't have to think about what to wear, I look good no matter what, but I should go on a diet. Why are they trying so hard? Ugh. You know what? I think it's the best when you look like them hapas. The more westernized you look, more boys you will get. It's not a matter of being cute it's a matter of being better than others, which I AM, excuse me. I am so sick of the Japanese stereotypes. JAPS, UGH! I'm not like those japs who are all smart, with their nice pencil cases. I know who I am I don't need to be put in a category. I am sick of the Japanese stereotypes. Who says I have chinky eyes? HUH? I know who I am so don't put me in a category like that ,you hear? But then again, guys do like girls with double eye lids and sexy bodies. Hmm. Maybe... For my birthday, I asked my mama as a present for a double eye operation. I don't care how much it hurts or how much I have to go through to get it, I want it and I'm gonna get it. Dr. Phil So, why do you want to get a double eye lid surgery? Que quote Tita Quote: "I tell you, my next birthday, when my madda ask me what I like, I going tell her I like go Honolulu for get one double eye operation" (33). Tita Man, its annoying to use glue to make my eyes have double eye lid. Once I was at a pool
party and some fool named Lance threw me into the pool. It tool me forever to put the glue back on my eye, I take the double eye lid operation any day. I wish I had double eye. Dr. Phil Louie group, how does this desire to look more westernized demonstrate the gender role expectation that Tita faces? give the groups a moment to think about it and give their answer.
Dr. Phil Tita wants to be more American and become more westernized. She tells people that she is this strong woman and she doesn't need anything to look beautiful yet she wants plastic surgery for her birthday. She wants this double eye lid surgery because she things that double eye lids are more beautiful than single eye lids. This shows how, in America, what is considered "beautiful" is a more westernized, white look. Because tita is a Japanese American, she internalizes these expectations of what real beauty is. Thus she cannot be comfortable in her own skin, and accept herself what what she is. Instead, her actions and desires are driven by these standards of beauty. Dr. Phil Are you comfortable with your weight? "Mo worse, my madda stay telling me, Eat carrots or celery. Shit, I wanted to tell her for shove that carrots up her tight ass" (40). Tita: I dunno, I'm too fat, no I take that back. When others think I'm fat that's when I get really mad. But I did recently go on a chicken noodle soup diet, I ask my madda to buy my some more chicken noodle soup, but she didn't. instead she told me to eat more vegetables and stuff. Makes me mad. Dr. Phil Park Group group. Why do you think Tita has this body image issue? Right Tita's struggle with her body image is perpetuated by her family, and of course her gender role expectations. In society, we see that women are expected to be thin in order to be considered beautiful to others. This expectation causes young girls like Tita to be extremely conscious about their body. These expectations are also reinforced by her family, her mother tells her she that needs to eat more vegetables. Because of these expectations and pressure to be thin, Tita's desire to eat healthy and lose weight isn't because she wants to be genuinely healthy, but because she feels insecure about her body. She diets to meet this standard of beauty, not because it was a decision she made herself. Dr. Phil Tita, thank you for being on the show today and listening to what we have to say. I hope that you can find true happiness in your life. Tita whatever your fat! Leaves the stage Dr. Phil please welcome our next guest, Girlie
Girlie comes to the stage. Dr. Phil Girlie, please, tell us about your experiences in Pahala. Girlie: Hello. My name is Girlie. I'm Japanese. Boys bug me sometimes. They can be stupid when it comes to fighting. One time one of the boys I know took off his clothes and fought with another guy. He said that's how his "fadda fight", according to his uncle. But everyone was laughing at him. I felt bad so I bought him food afterwards, not forgetting to tell how dumb he looked. I have two friends that I normally hang out with. My first friend is Faso. I think Aunty Alice doesn't like me because of Faso. We ride our bikes together. I have fun with her, but she does all kinds of things to me like make me try to sling shot her into the sky, she was too fat and broke the branch. My other friend is Asi. She has a lot of courage and does extreme things to get some cash in her pocket. She once unbuttoned her shirt in front of a guy to get some money, and later bought food and drinks for both of us. I guess she's nice, but I don't get her sometimes. Maybe that's why I went to our school and scratched out the 4-Eva from "Girlie and Asi Frenz4Eva" that I carved into the big tree. Maybe our friendship isn't meant to last forever. Dr. Phil wait so that boy took off all his clothes to fight? Que in the quote : " I no could stop thinking about how Boy could've beef all na-ked. Suckin' guy, I wen' tell him, all the girls seen your grapes." (44) Girlie yea that boy went up to Keoni, the most popular kid in school, and challenged him to a fight. The boy took off all his clothes! I couldn't believe it, everyone see his grapes! I never seen any girls do anything like that. Isn't he shy about his private parts? Dr. Phil Hagedorn group, what does Girlies shock at the boys willingness to fight naked show about the differences in gender, namely how one gender's sex compares to another's. Give them a moment to figure it out. Dr. Phil Right. Girlie's experience with the boy shows how the girl's gender role expectation differ from boy's. Girlie is shocked that the boy is willing to take off all his clothes and fight naked, she cant get over the fact that his genitals were hanging out. The boy's action show how men can use their sex as a source of empowerment and force, where as a womans sex is subjected to oppression and abuse, as seen through the other girls' stories. Whats also interesting about this experience is that the boy said he went naked because that's how his father fights. This shows how young men look up to older men as role models. They model themselves after them, thus adopting the ideas of sexism and chauvinism as the norm, perpetuating these gender role expectations that have disastrous consequences to the lives of the girls. Dr. Phil you mention your friend named Faso, tell me more about her. Que- the quote. "That's when Faso wen' give herself her own nickname which was Faso, short for Fat-Asso, she said, and I neva even laugh." (47)
Yea, one day Faso and I were skipping Hula lessons. She wanted me to sling her from a tree branch so she could fly. But she was too heavy, she broke the tree branch! Aunty came out and yelled at us, so we ran away and got some hamburgers and soda. When we were eating that's when Faso gave herself this name, I didn't think it was funny. It looked like she was kind of sad. Dr. Phil Troung group, why do you think Faso gave herself this nickname? Right Because the girls are always under constant pressure to fit a certain standard of beauty, in this case, to be more thin, they begin to internalize these standards. The most successful way to oppress is to turn your victim into their own oppressors. Here we see that because of the gender role expectation to be thin and beautiful, Faso begins to see herself as fat and degrades herself. She is unable to see her worth as a human, because her worth comes from other's perception of her body. This self hatred shows how the girls lose a sense of themselves and begin to adopt the mentality of their oppressive gender expectations. Dr. Phil Tita, thank you for coming on the show and sharing your experiences, I hope your friend Faso can learn to love herself for who she is. Dr. Phil last but not least, everyone please welcome a very special guest Lucy! Enter Lucy Dr. Phil Lucy, welcome to the show, please tell us about yourself. Lucy - Hi, I'm Lucy, life in Pahala is ok, sometimes my madda is very mean. I neva like when she hit me with the iron hanger, she hit my sista too, but that's because she acts dumb in public. Sometimes my mom is nice though, once she cut my and my sistas hair too short, and she gave us yarn wigs to cover it up. But she mostly hits us. I have a friend named Bernie I go see him when my madda is being mean to me., he is very nice he has a taxidermy shop. He and his wife cook me good food sometimes, they namke me Vienna sausage and grilled cheese. I listen to what the other girls tell me, like Kala and Tita giving me advice on boys and drugs and stuff. I see what those girls go through, their lives are hard. All of our lives are hard. I feel like I have been lucky though, Bernie has always been nice to me and Willyjoe really loves me. He doesn't treat me like how the other boys treat girls. I know that I can be my own person, I don't have to end up like Kala and Tita. I know my strength comes from inside. Dr. Phil you are a very strong individual Lucy, before we discuss how you can be an autonomous individual, tell me more about your mother and your sister. Que quote: " Mama squirming like she trying to get her breast even more uplift while nodding her head sweetly. And Willy (Oh he so sweeeet), my sista continue, he say he want to help me." (120) Lucy yea, one day when I was helping my mom pick squash shoots for dinner, WillyJoe drove
by with my sister in the car, he offered to drive us home. I was feeling really jealous because the night before he took me on a romantic car ride. Both my Madda and Sista think that WillyJoe is attractive. My madda and sister were competing with each other for his attention! I didn't know what to do, I just sat there. Dr. Phil Louie group, what do you have to say about a mother and daughter competing with each other for the same man? Give them a moment Right, this shows how a mother and daughter can turn on each other for a man's attention. Throughout the experiences of the girls, it is seen that women tend to have more animosity to each other. Mothers are overly critical and abusive towards their daughters, and sisters the same. However, throughout the book men seem to be united. The women are constantly under pressure to fit their gender role expectation, and they want to fit this model because it apparently gives them status and makes them more attractive to the men, therefore they are structurally built to always be in competition with each other. This shows how because of these gender roles, women turn on each other, allowing men and their gender role expectations to affect them. Dr. Phil. Now Lucy, you state that you can be your own person, that you are not controlled by your gender or others around you. Can you explain this more to us? Que quote Quote (Lucy)*on powerpoint: "I feel the thick, clear liquid move slow out of my name on my back, touch it with my own fingers, feel my name on my back all the way inside. I IS Ain't nobody tell me otherwise" (140). Lucy Yea, I'm lucky because I have so many good role models in my life like Bernie, and someone who really loves me. This love helped me over come the hardships that the other girls face. People give WillyJoe and I funny looks because of our age difference, but I don't care. I know that he loves me and that's all that matters, love. Willy is such a gentlyman he doesn't force himself on me, and is respectful of me. On New Years Eve We burned each others names on our back. I burned his name with a sparkler, and he did to me. This is the last quote of the book. Through Willy Joe putting her name on her back permanently, it shows how Lucy is reclaiming herself. Although it could be argued that since WillyJoe carved her name in her back and not Lucy, that it shows she is still controlled. But, through this Lucy is still able to gain a sense of self, and be empowered, because it is important to keep in mind that other people in our lives, who love us can help us become more secure with ourselves. Also, This is significant because it shows how she overcomes the gender role expectations. By putting Willy Joe's name on his back, Lucy becomes equal with Willy Joe, which outs men and women at a equal level. Her use of the words "Ain't nobody tell me otherwise" shows how she is regaining her self autonomy by overcoming the gender role expectations put upon her by the society. Dr. Phil - Thank you for being here Lucy, I want to call all the girls that were on the show today
up to the stage. Girls come up to the stage Dr. Tom: Thank you for sharing your stories with us tonight. And thank you for watching our show tonight. Don't forget to buy a copy of this months Pahala Girls magazine, Kala, Girlie, TIta, and Lucy are featured in it! Next week we will welcome Bernie who will share his adventures in hunting goats. Have a good night everybody! Symbols: Cheerleaders growing up (movie) Dialect: shapes an image of the culture, makes it more "real" and easier to visualize and see into their culture. It shows their ethnic roots. It emphasizes the effects of culture on their lives, especially when they are growing up. Eye Goat: symbolizes Lucy End our presentation with: