Blog 2 - Brianna Chancay

Brianna Chancay

Prompt 1:

Since the beginning of time sports and the involvement in physical activities have played an important role in our culture, being one of many determining factors for the positions boys and girls have been set by society's norms to act upon or represent. Here I have chosen a cultural artifact by which challenges gender representation normality through our media. It has been set that the male figure or otherwise known as boys are typically the ones to represent strength and aggression whereas here in the image I provided goes against the grain of this ideology. Typically, girls are shown representing traits such as warmth, gentleness and passivenesses. However challenging these normalities, visually two strong and very powerful female soccer players go head to head in battle for the soccer ball.

I chose this particular example because I personally am in favor and rooting for all soccer girls and female athletes in general. I think girls should be able to be and show acts of kindness and gentleness yet still display strength and power. From experience, I know what this sport demands from a female's body. Prior to an injury, I played soccer competitively on a club team since I had been a little girl and it is not an easy sport. Aside from the given technical footwork, it requires the use of a girl’s entire body and a lot of body to body contact, as vividly represented in the image. All in all, I think it’s great for females to want to show their strength and I believe this is something that we as a whole have been taking the necessary steps in accepting the fact that it is okay for boys AND girls to express traits such as power and strength.

Prompt 2:

The creator of this message may potentially be a sports commentator or even a sports photographer. Either way, typically these positions are taken by a man so this image very well may have been captured through the eyes of a male figure.

Regarding the creative techniques, in attracting the audience’s attention, the creator captured the moment perfectly where both girls are at the peak of exerting all their energy showing all their strength in battle for that first touch on the ball. This technique was accomplished well because the idea this image portrays creates a clear message for the interpreter.

There is the possibility that others may understand this message differently than myself. If they did, they may view this image as an act of competitiveness which unlike strength actually places under the category of a typical female norm; something girls are notorious for. If this were the case, this message would not challenge the idea of gender representation rather support it.

As far as values are concerned, this message reveals the common value of being athletically inclined; something our country believes in quite heavily. As far as perspectives are concerned the only barrier between understanding would be the difference between athletes and non-athletes but even then all would still be able to grasp this notion on gender representation.

I believe strongly that this message is being sent to affirm those both boys and girls that females CAN and WILL reveal their strength upon their competitors and even individually. To be strong and powerful does not need to dwindle down to a “boy or girl thing” rather just be what it is; an ability. Anyone can portray acts of strength and power… including girls. We are ALL willing and able.