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ashleyshropshiregands-blog · 6 years

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Gender and Sexuality Portfolio Post Three: Connection to Popular Culture

We as humans learn a lot about the world around us from our exposure to social media and popular culture. Pop culture is arguably one of the most influential teachers when it comes to understanding one’s role in society, whether that role is based on gender, sex, race, class, religion, or any other characteristic of one’s identity. From the TV we watch, to the music we listen to, and everything in between, we are constantly being reminded of how we are allowed to fit into society and what thoughts and behaviors are acceptable. This is extremely evident when we look at the way masculinity is taught in pop culture in the United States. Popular songs across all genres include messages about being a man, including the need to have sex with multiple women, to show off one’s material possessions and wealth, and to be successful and powerful over other men. Magazines and advertisements show us that being fit and attractive are critical aspects of masculinity, and athletes are often used to sell this model of the ideal masculine man. Similarly, we often look at successful actors, musicians, political leaders, and other influential men as the standard representation of what it means to be a man. Movies, TV shows, and music videos are also guilty of teaching restrictive and destructive ideas of masculinity to men and women of all ages.

Looking in pop culture for artifacts of masculinity and mental health was a little difficult. There are a lot of examples of men addressing different mental health issues and the importance of breaking down the idea that men cannot talk about these issues, but there is not much content that talks about how masculinity directly affects a man’s mental health. When I was looking for artifacts in pop culture related to masculinity and mental health, I found many different examples that address mental health in men within each of these categories of pop culture: music, famous men, and movies. Lyrics from songs of all genres show different ways that men have talked about and dealt with different issues of mental health. Some examples of these include “Unwell” by Matchbox Twenty, “Help!” by the Beatles, “1-800-273-8355” by Logic, various songs by Kid Cudi, and many more. Some songs raise awareness about general issues in mental health while others address specific issues that the artists themselves have faced.

Other ways I saw men and mental health intersect in pop culture was through influential and successful men using their agency to discuss their own experiences with mental issues. Dwayne Johnson is known for saying that mental illness does not discriminate and that often times men have harder times talking about their own issues with mental health because they have been told not to. He uses his story of personal struggle to try to inspire others to reach out for help and talk about their struggles. Pete Davidson, an actor on SNL, is also known for being very upfront about his own personal mental health issues, and he often addresses these issues using humor as a way to make the subject more approachable in his sketches. Men like Johnson and Davidson shed light on the reality of these situations and set examples as men that it is not shameful or unmanly to have a mental illness.

Movies also have become more involved in exploring mental illness in general, and some, though not directly stated, show examples of how masculinity in our society has an effect on developing mental illness or on how men cope with mental illness. Goodwill Hunting is one fantastic example of how the intersection of being a man and having traumatic childhood experiences can cause serious problems down the road related to mental health and stability in life. Similarly, It’s a Wonderful Life explores the way that traits of masculinity, such as monetary success, can affect one’s mental health: in this movie, the main character attempts to kill himself because he has gone bankrupt and feels like he is a failure that the world would be better without. Silver Linings Playbook is another movie that shows mental illness in the male protagonist and the way his life and relationships are affected as he tries to move forward after a diagnosis and time in a psych unit. It shows examples of men coping with mental illness and trying to form healthy relationships while dealing with their illness.

The artifact I chose to use was the movie, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, based on the book by Stephen Chbosky. I chose this movie because it has a heavy focus on mental illness, but each of the male characters in the movie exhibits a different form of masculinity, and their issues, coping mechanisms, and experiences are all very different. Some examples given clearly talk about mental health and masculinity, where other examples only address one or the other. Overall, this movie provides a lot of different ways to look at masculinity and mental health. For the most part, it retells the story, using preparation and reinscription as the main enforcers. There are some scenes and relationships throughout the movie that revise the story through critique. Examples of these will be explored in the next section.

Retell: According to authors Foss, Domenico, & Foss, pop culture often retells the binary by sending “messages about gender [that] align with the prescriptions of the master narrative of the binary” (106). Retelling or reinforcing of the binary occurs by showing characters following cultural norms of their gender, being rewarded by following these norms and punished for stepping out of line. It also includes situations where the binary may be questioned or revised, but is immediately shut down and reinforced. These different techniques are called preparation, prescription, and reinscription (106). Preparation specifically targets children and young adults by showing them the roles that are allowed to them in their lives in the binary. Prescription targets adults by enforcing the roles that they have been taught their whole lives. Reinscription initially looks like it challenges the binary, however, it quickly turns around to reinforce the binary.

Preparation and reinscription are the two main ways that Perks retells the story of masculinity and mental illness. Preparation, or the “socializ[ation of] children in anticipation of adulthood in the binary” happens throughout the entire movie, as it takes place in a high school (106). The first main example of this is the way that the main character, Charlie, is treated in his school. Charlie is a nerd, he has had a history of mental health problems, and he is not the most masculine of men: he is often bullied for these attributes. Real men should be smart and successful, but not nerds, and Charlie is taught this in one scene when a group of peers find out that he has completed an assignment far in advance for their English class; his peers teach him of his wrong-doings by taking him to the bathroom and bullying him. He is often called mean names in the school setting, and when he wears a suit to class, something out of the ordinary for a man in high school, a group of kids mock him, saying “nice suit” and laughing. Similarly, his best friend, Patrick, who identifies as gay, is often bullied, teased, mocked throughout the entire movie. He is even beaten up for confronting a jock (the manliest of men) for tripping him in the lunchroom. All of these are examples of ways the movie prepares children and adolescents for the world in the binary, because they show the undesirable consequences of stepping out of line, even in the slightest.

Related to masculinity and mental health, you can see the binary being reinforced by looking at the different ways in which the male and female characters cope with their mental health problems. The female characters, Sam in particular, are very open about their issues in the past and are willing to talk about them. Sam shares that she loves bulimia and that she was sexually assaulted by her dad’s friend at an early age. This is normal and ok, because she is a woman and is expected to have and talk about these types of things, according to the rules of the binary. On the other hand, Charlie, who has experienced many traumatic events in his life, rarely, if ever, brings up his problems and often tries to push them away, saying things like “I just get so messed up inside”, “stop crying, stop crying”, and that he doesn’t want to be known as “the weird kid who spent time in the hospital”. There are many times throughout the movie when Charlie has a chance to reach out for help, whether to his parents, or his friends, but he chooses not to because he doesn’t want to worry them or doesn’t want to talk about what has happened. Charlie was sexually assaulted by his aunt, who died in a car crash years later, which Charlie blames himself for. He also lost his best friend the year before to suicide. He bundles up these experiences and his mental health deteriorates because of it. The movie reinforces this idea even more when looking at the family dynamic and seeing the super masculine, football playing brother is doing fine in his life and there is no mention of any issues he may be facing, because he fits the norm. Overall, Charlie’s experiences show how he is affected by the binary and his inability to talk about his mental health, and he is bullied often, which is even worse for his state, because he does not fit the hegemonic norm of masculinity.

Revise: This is the first method the authors give as a way to question or change the binary. Revising involves stretching, modifying, challenging, and expanding the binary in some way (121). The authors give two examples of ways pop culture can revise the story of gender, and that is through critique and expansion. Critique involves questioning “the utility, appropriateness, and consequences” of the binary (121). It does not change the binary, but introduces characters, topics, and relationships that defy the norms and spark conversations about the presence of the binary. Expansion is when pop culture remakes categories and suggests multiple ways of being a man or woman (124). Showing multiple forms of masculinity, for example, would be a way to expand the binary.

In Perks of Being a Wallflower, there are quite a few aspects of critiquing the relationship between masculinity and mental health that are seen throughout. One major critique of the binary is seen in the relationship between Charlie and his gay friend, Patrick. According to the norms of society, men don’t seek emotional relationships, especially not with other men. Charlie and Patrick become very good friends, and near the end of the movie, they often lean on each other when one of them is feeling down. Charlie breaks up a fight where Patrick is being bullied and Patrick toasts to Charlie after learning about the death of his friend. This relationship critiques the binary and the idea of masculinity because these men have a meaningful and emotional relationship. It shows that men can form these emotional bonds and that they can be very beneficial for them. One reason Charlie and Patrick get so close is due to the unfortunate turn of events when Patrick’s closeted boyfriend is discovered and ultimately turns his back on Patrick. Charlie is there to help Patrick as he deals with this loss and tries to heal emotionally. This relationship questions the appropriateness of the binary by showing a male-male friendship that is emotional and supportive.

There are also examples related to mental health. The major critique of the binary happens at the end, when Charlie eventually breaks down, ends up in the hospital again, and is brave enough this time to share about his past with his aunt. Charlie is able to confront his mental health issues that have been progressing throughout the year, and there is reason to believe that his life is changing for the better at the end of the movie. This turn of events questions the utility of the binary enforcing the idea that men cannot have or express mental illness and that they must silently deal with them as to not appear weak. By showing how his life changes for the better after he gets help, Charlie breaks down this societal expectation of men and leaves room for conversation about mental health in young men and how it is experienced, coped with, and often times ignored.

Rewrite: Foss, Domenico, and Foss define rewriting the binary as “disrupt[ing] any connection between bodies and gender expectations, suggesting that any behavior, any quality, and any kind of appearance is appropriate for any body” (128). Rewriting the binary can be achieved in two ways: synthesis and innovation. Synthesis involves the presentation of a new gender that includes both masculine and feminine traits (128). This new gender includes characteristics of both genders, without deeming one better than the other. Innovation involves escaping the binary entirely. There is no relationship between gender and body and “openness and flexibility are the only rules for constructing and performing this kind of gender” (132).

In the movie, there are no evident forms of rewriting the binary in terms of masculinity and mental health. Most of the instances where these two constructs are discussed involve heavily enforcing current ideas about masculinity, involving not acknowledging mental health problems or reaching for help, or beginning to critique the way mental health and masculinity are related. This is pretty typical for pop culture, because synthesis and innovation are hard to find across all medium. There are slight hints of synthesis, as a main focus in the movie is the teen’s involvement in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, but these are just glimpses and do not dive into the possibilities that are available through rewriting the binary.

I have learned a lot about masculinity and mental health through this project. The biggest major I learned is that we don’t really talk about the ways masculinity affects mental health in pop culture. We have just begun to explore men having mental health issues, but not many sources cite masculinity as a possible cause for some of them. There are discreet indications of these issues, like I had mentioned in the intro section, and I only hope this conversation becomes something that is tackled more frequently in popular culture. Overall, movies like Perks of Being a Wallflower bring forward these issues of mental health in men and, while the setting of the movie allows for many examples of retelling the binary, there are some glimmers of critiquing it as well, through relationships between characters and the ultimate improvement of Charlie’s life when he is finally able to talk about what has happened to him and how it has been affecting his health and life. This movie may not rewrite the binary or give us a way to escape it, but it begins to look at what it means to be a man with mental illness and shows alternate forms of masculinity: one that involves finding support in friends and family, and tackling the issues that one faces as a man and as a human being.

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cesarhcastrojr · 7 years

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This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here.

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Showcasing Your Expertise Publicly

If you are freelancing or own a business it is very important to showcase to potential clients why you’re the right expert to work with.

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Idea: A great way of doing this is to start writing for your own blog. Use it as an opportunity to showcase your work and also as an avenue to write about topics in your field that can add value to your potential clients.

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Note: Don’t just share once and call it quits. Tailor the post to the specific platform that you’re sharing it on. For example, on Twitter embed the article with a short excerpt or quote enticing people to read more.

To reach a wider audience, reach out to influencers and other writers in your industry. If you’re using Buzzsumo, you can see the people who shared articles similar to yours. Send them an email first introducing yourself, and explain why your article can benefit them.

Collect emails from previous and potential clients to start building your mailing list. If you aren’t already using email marketing, I recommend using MailChimp for their ease of use and also because the software is cost-effective.

Design a template to feature your newsletter, and keep in mind that branding is important. Adding your logo and style guide for colors and fonts should be a key focus. You want everything to have a cohesive look and feel.

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After your campaign is sent, monitor the reporting to review open rates, click-throughs, and unsubscribes to better format for your next campaign.

Things To Note: Consistency and quality are two major components here for a successful campaign. Stick to a schedule that works best for you to create and send your emails, and only share posts with your audience that will provide valuable insight for them. If they can’t find value, they are likely to unsubscribe.

Visuals Tell Great Stories

If you want to tell your story in a more engaging way, creating visual content to compliment your writing is quite helpful. Adding an infographic might increase the exposure of your post significantly because of its sharable value.

However, the actual type of visual content that is created is up to the freelancer or business owner. The main purpose of this type of content is to drive the results that they are after.

Infographics: According to Nielsen Norman Group, eye-tracking studies show readers pay close attention to information-carrying images. In fact, when the images are relevant, readers spend more time looking at the images than they do reading text on the page.

Plus, 65 percent of us are visual learners so creating compelling visual infographics to compliment your blog post or even act as a stand alone will be important to add to your content marketing strategy.

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Charts and Graphs: If you are trying to prove something with data, then there aren’t a lot of better options out there than telling the story with charts and graphs.

It is very valuable from a business standpoint to not just write about any findings that you have, but also showcase it with visual content.

Charts also play a big factor into the amount of trackbacks (other blogs pointing to your blog) which has seen a 258 percent higher rate than other images.

Video: As stated above, visual content is much more than just what you incorporate on your blog. It also included content that you share on your YouTube or Facebook/Instagram page.

Since we already know that 65 percent of us are visual learners, it is time to craft content around attracting and retaining those people.

For example, if you are a freelance graphic designer, instead of creating a blog post on how to do a certain effect in Photoshop, why not create a “how-to” video on YouTube to reach their 30 million visitors per day.

Like Speaking? Podcasts Might Be Your Thing

A lot of your potential clients are busy and simply don’t have the time or interest to read your blogs posts, no matter how effective they might be. This is where the power of creating a podcast comes in.

Podcasting is growing, in 2016 an estimated 57 million people listened to podcasts each month. Just like YouTube, there are millions of people out there and potential business waiting for you to capture.

Podcasting isn’t for everyone, and the “content is king” motto still applies here. No matter the quality of your sound, the effects that you add, etc. If it simply isn’t interesting, people are not going to tune in and listen.

On the contrary, if you have an established network of interesting people to interview, I would recommend giving podcasting a try. Podcasting is only going to get bigger from here, so start exploring how to add it into your content marketing strategy to attract new clients.

Using Existent Content For LinkedIn

As a freelancer or business owner, LinkedIn is and for the foreseeable future will be your good friend. Not only is it easier to find gigs on LinkedIn through their new ProFinder feature, but you can also repurpose your existing content that you published on your blog straight to all of your connections in a matter of minutes with Linkedin Publisher.

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This can dramatically increase awareness around your content without having to do a lot of extra work. If you aren’t publishing on LinkedIn, start today.

Let Content Marketing Work For You

Marketing yourself as a freelancer or business owner and breaking the mold is a challenge. You’ll find that many other freelancers and companies offer similar services that you do, and sometimes for even cheaper. Instead of lowering your prices to compete, focus on content marketing.

You’ll notice that clients don’t hire you for the services you offer, but for the value that you can bring them.

If your potential client is a small business owner, and you can effectively layout examples on a blog post about how they can make money off of Facebook advertising, then it doesn’t matter that another freelancer or business offers services for cheaper, because they didn’t provide value like you did.

It doesn’t matter if it is writing, creating graphics, videos, podcasting or the other various ways to promote your brand through content marketing. Focus on the value that you can provide to your potential client, and you will start seeing the results you have been looking for.

Max Pete aka One Hand Wonder Man is a freelance website designer and digital marketer. Max Pete also specializes in social media management, email marketing, content creation, and paid advertising. You can check out his work and get in touch with him via his portfolio www.maxpete.co.

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