A few lines that stood out in particular this week were found in the Santeria reading, pages 2-3. “Much philosophical thinking assumes what is known as the ‘normative male perspective’… This deep-seated preference for characteristics that have been culturally constructed as male over those that have been constructed as female as well as over other cultural gender constructions has led to a general acceptance of women who want to act like men but a continued abhorrence of men who take on any characteristic that has been culturally defined as ‘female’.”

It was curious to think about how slanted the idea is that female adoption of ‘male’ characteristics versus male adoption of ‘female’ characteristics is. The very idea of ‘male’ or ‘female’ characteristics is an interesting one, as we as a society have dedicated gender to personality traits or general attributes, and then cast judgement on who is allowed to portray such things. Rarely do I truly consider the level of import that society has placed upon such ideas, to the extent that it has long since reached into our literature and other such sources that we read on a daily basis for English classes and such, but when I come across a line like this one it becomes apparent.