Pink Socialization
Daniel
My dear audiences, today I want you to think about gender socialization. The term ‘gender socialization’ means that the characteristics of gender are formed by our society by means of media, education and socialized people. Gender socialization plays an impact role in defining what is a man or woman. Do these differences between men and women commonly called ‘gender gap’ have a positive effect on us or not? If not positive, do we have to try to solve this gap?
I want to start with my speech with one story happened when I was a kid. My mother and I went shopping to the Kukje market in the city of Busan. In one market selling clothes for kids, my mom approached me and said, “Daniel, I would like to recommend you to wear this cute T-shirt. How do you think about it? I think this will look very good on you.” Unlike her expectation, I began to scream out upon seeing the T-shirt and replied, “Mamma, this T-shirt is pink. I’m not a girl. I cannot understand how can you ask me to wear such a strange color T-shirt?” Despite of mom’s constant effort, I didn’t wear the pink T-shirt.
Looking back that moment, I can have one question. “Why did I really hate pink?”, “what made me regard pink as a girl’s color?” I believe media gave me preconceptions about color. Also I think the media is one of the most famous ways of gender socialization in this world.
In my childhood, I wholly enjoyed watching very famous television film ‘Power Ranger.’ The film consists of many stories about five heroes protecting the earth from bad monsters. Each hero is characterized by its own color. Of five heroes, three are male in red, black and blue and the others are female in yellow and pink. This is the reason why I thought of pink as a girl’s color. To me, what I learned from Power Ranger was everything.
Up to now, pink is still girls’ color to me and also women color. Some days ago, in a Nike store, I realized that my preconception from ‘Power Ranger’ has still possessed my thoughts. When I went shopping to one Nike store, the store has T-shirts only in three colors: red, black and blue. After knowing the fact, I was satisfied and smiled a very big smile because there was all colors male power rangers wore. I think most of you agree with my point of view. This means that without anyone knowing, Power Ranger already socialized you and me.
I think the Power Ranger is one of the examples of gender socialization through media. In the past, it was unnecessary to try to change what I learned from Power Ranger because I had no doubts that it can be an impediment to my growth. However, now one advice from my dear teacher Dr. Tcho is shaking my narrow mind and helps me take steps forward. According to his advice, becoming a widely open-minded person is largely dependent on whether you break down your gender socialization or not. Now, his teaching makes me wear this pink T-shirt. Does it fit me? I know I’m handsome and good-looking.
To make a long story short, even though Power Ranger already formed and socialized your way of thinking, if you know what are you socialized and take an action to break it, now it’s the time to overcome gender gap and become a open-minded person. Thank you very much.
첫댓글 역시 Daniel !! 발표내공이 느껴지는군요 ㅎ 2차전 기대하겠습니다 -D