Do you think an Instagram account of females behaving ironically in masculine ways would be as popular? Why/ why not?
Men are thought to be more masculine compared to women. In contrast, women are considered to be more feminine compared to men, and additionally, I couldn’t discover an Instagram account of ladies behaving humorously in masculine ways. Hence, it’s clear that they’re not as popular. I suppose this is since there is a societal expectation that being feminine is feeble or foolish. Being called a ‘female,’ for instance, is almost always regarded as an insult. It is clear women have been seen humiliating each other by addressing each other as “girls.” Culture does not hold the identical unfavorable implications for acting like a man as it does for acting like a girl (Kiesewetter, 2020).
From a conflict theory standpoint, humor can actually be a weapon in which a more powerful group denigrates an oppressed group. How could the Bros Being Basic account be interpreted through this lens?
Bros Being Basic could be understood as a powerful group of males criticizing femininity as a tool to keep females or the action of femininity subjugated through the perspective of conflict concept (Theories of gender and sex | Introduction to sociology, 2019).
From a functionalist theory standpoint, humor can be used to create group cohesion and feelings of belonging. In what ways could be the Bros Being Basic account be interpreted through this lens?
According to functionalist ideology, Bros Being Basic is a group of men who use humor to relate to femininity in an attempt to draw men and women closer together.
Of the two theoretical frameworks from questions 2 and 3 (conflict and functionalists), which do you think makes is the more compelling interpretation? Why?
The conflict theory explanation is more convincing because of the well-known power dynamics amongst men and women in today’s culture (Theories of gender and sex | Introduction to sociology, 2019). This is particularly relevant in light of the #metoo campaign and the increased openness with which concerns of gender discrimination are being explored. Because of this power relationship and the intention of the Instagram account to parody femininity in a culture where being labeled a girl is often regarded as abuse, the paradigm of conflict theory is more suitable.
Reference
Kimberly Kiesewetter. (2020, August 11). @BrosBeingBasic: Instagram & gender performance – Sociology in focus. Sociology In Focus – A Sociology Micro Reader – Introduction to Sociology, Sociology 101, Resources for Sociology Teachers. https://sociologyinfocus.com/brosbeingbasic-and-gender-as-social-performance-2/
Theories of gender and sex | Introduction to sociology. (2019). Lumen Learning – Simple Book Production. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-introtosociology/chapter/theories-of-gender-and-sex/
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