Is it Time to "Shift Gears?"- A Discussion on Re-Framing Gender

Twice in the past two weeks, (March 15 and March 24, 2005), I conducted a workshop on the topic of Gender.  The first was for a scheduled presentation at the Women’s Center/Women’s Cultural Resources Center on the campus at CSU-Fullerton.  The second was unexpected: Less than two days before the event a speaker cancelled who was in the program for the Center’s major conference, “Clear Vision, Strong Voices…” set for March 24, and the conference coordinator asked me to step in and present the same discussion as held on the 15^th.  I was happy to be able to help, as I have a great regard for the Center and work as closely with them as possible.

The theme of both workshops was to ask the question, “Has the time come for us to reconsider Gender ?”  As you may know, in the work of “Re-Arcing the Rainbow” â I use the character of Dorothy, (more from the book, The Wizard of Oz, [Baum] than the film), as the model of the “well-socialized woman.”  These are some of the ways in which the Dorothy character represents the well-socialized woman – and does so across many cultures:  Where does she want to be? Home.  What does she do before embarking on her journey? She dresses herself in her best attire – and she packs a basket to take care of both Toto and herself.  When the Munchkins advise her that if she chooses to leave them, then she must travel to the Emerald City and see the great Oz, they tell her that Oz has all the answers.  [In the book] she hears that Oz has all the answers and asks, “Is Oz a man?”  In the course of her journey she encounters three characters – all male – who each need something and she puts their needs before hers; only when everyone else has been taken care of is there a commitment to respond to Dorothy’s needs.  She is forced into domestic labor by an older female – the wicked witch.  And on and on…

After working with the Dorothy character for a number of years as something of an archetype, I thought Dorothy needs to divert from “The Yellow Brick Road.”  What’s needed is to “exit ‘The Yellow Brick Road.’”  That became the next theme.  However, recently I have begun to move – intellectually – in the direction of theorist Joseph Pleck’s dictum that we would be better off if we let go of the rigid devotion to Gender and embrace Competency – focus on competency – instead.

Since Gender is socially constructed, it can – (and often is) – be re-constructed, perhaps even deconstructed.  Imagine the possibilities and liberation of resource if the conventional frameworks of Gender were replaced with the content of competency.  For one, using this paradigm whomever was the best person for the job would do the job.  For another, women – in particular – who are [being] held back by conventional, traditional notions of Gender – the “well-socialized woman” – would be freed to have choices, make choices, and be their authentic selves.  In turn, the same would be true for men.  I regard this as a tantalizing possibility.

In facilitating the discussion the first time, (and in both instances the group attending was diverse), I received a consensus of agreement by the women present.  Fewer men than women were present, but the only  - what, confusion ? – expressed in the first group was voiced by one young man who persisted in wanting to know if what I was suggesting meant that if a man and woman went out for dinner and she made more money, she should pay the bill.  I tried to help him understand that what I was proposing is that using this alternative framework they should be able to discuss freely who should pay the bill – not that she automatically pays the bill.  I’m seeking not only “regime change” but equity.

The second discussion, at the Conference, engaged an even more diverse group, primarily because some Faculty brought their classes to the Conference and various of the workshops.  One of the Professors from the Chicano/Chicana Studies Department brought her students to the workshop I was conducting and there was ample appreciation among the women students in particular that this was a worthy idea.  One of the young men suggested that since during the Victorian Era women were tasked with running the household and raising the children they had important work to do and any shift would be a reduction for women.  I suggested that he take into account that during the same period women had no property rights, could not vote, and were mandated to be in the home – they were already reduced.

Early in the dialogue portion of the presentation one of the male students – somewhat older than traditional college aged – volunteered that in terms of the idea that we socialize expressivity out of males starting at an early age while decreasing the emphasis for females on assertiveness, he was experiencing the results of that in his life now.  He said that when his wife asks him how he feels about something, he has a difficult time responding; at the same time, his wife – who works – is becoming more assertive and he’s trying to adjust to that.  I thanked him for his candor.  A few minutes later, after listening to the exchange between the attendees and me and each other, this same participant said, “I think what we need is more men to be just [fair] for women.” 

At this point, what more could be said?  We adjourned.

What do you think about Pleck’s idea that we value competence over the rigidities of Gender?