What Ever Happened to Predictability?

One of the reasons that I love this class and these reading is because so often I read about something that I ignorantly have never thought of and it opens my eyes to what is really going on in the world. These articles were just that. Growing up, I watched a decent amount of TV. Some of my favorites were Full House, Family Matters, Boy Meets World, The Cosby Show, Home Improvement and Sister Sister. I loved them all equally. Only now as I look and think about them do I see the distinct differences between them, mainly speaking of the races of main characters on the show. Full House, Boy Meets World, and Home Improvement have entirely white casts (with the exception of Angela on Boy Meets World later on in the series); whereas the casts of Family Matters, The Cosby Show and Sister Sister are completely African American actors/actresses. Since I loved all the shows equally and did not notice this difference until now, the races had no effect on me. I had equal crushes on Sean from Boy Meets World or Steve from Full House as I did on Stephan from Family Matters. Is that bad that I did not notice the difference...or good?

In the book Media and Minorities, author Stephanie Greco Larson brings to the forefont stereotypes of African Americans within modern media today. She mentions several different stereotype distinctions that have appeared and are appearing in movies and TV of today: mammies, toms, coons, mulattos, black bucks, pimps and whores. She lists two "reoccuring themes in black film and television that reinforce the status quo: the first approach blames blacks and celebrates whites. The second denies racial inequality by focusing on individuals and ignoring social structures" (Larson, 31). Larson also mentions the "whiteness of black characters" in many films and shows, saying that "Black sitcoms are not Black in tha they exhibit an African American worldview or Black philosophy of life. Rather, they are black because the performers are black"(36). As I read this article, all I could think about was how when I sit down to watch a movie or a TV show, I know that there will be at least one (if not more) characters that look like me and act like me. I don't have to worry about severe negative stereotypes or even if the character is true to my culture. I think it is awful that African Americans still have to struggle, even when it comes to how they are portrayed in the media.

The article "Fox Network and the Revolution in Black Television" explores the phenomenon that took place when Fox started producing shows written by, or starring black authors/actors. "The Fox Network was unique, then, in that it advertently fostered a space for black authorship in television. It did this to capitalize on a underrepresented market, of course". "Fox was completely different from traditional networks in its early days. They wanted to be the rebel network" (Zook, 587). They did this to be different, to purposely cater to an audience that was not represented on television at this time. But what was their motive really? After Fox picked up these shows, all other major networks wanted in on this as well. But why? Was it really for the benefit of African Americans or was it for their own profit? "The only reason FOX, WB, and UPN get involved in black programming, is so that they can temporarily sustain themselves. The minute they can, they pull out. They build themselves up with black audiences, but once they're established, they dump us" (593). Is this still the case? Do networks only have shows with minorities to boost themselves and then dump them the minute they are successful? How far have we really come? I wish I could say that there is a significant distance from them to now for where we have come racially, but sadly I do not think thats the case. Instead I think many try to pretend things are better, but really its all for selfish reasons. A quote that finished up the chapter sums it up well and gives us a challenge :"This chapter bears witness to the internal contradictions of African American producers and consumers. While our collective yearning for the mythical American dream is apparent in virtually every episode of every black produced show, black Americans are stepping into a new century largely removed from the benefits of a global capitalist economy. Our challenge remains one of critical engagement. Because visual media colonize our imaginations, we must continue to strive for vigilant and sophisticated readings of television culture. We must continue to create transformative physic-and physical-spaces in which to have fuller, more just lives" (593).

Reading through these articles and struggling through these ideas, I could not help but think of the movie Hairspray. This movie is set in the 60's, at the time when the idea of integration of blacks and whites was just beginning. Just in case you have not seen the movie/play, click here for a full summary : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427327/plotsummary

I think that while this movie addresses an issue prevalent in the 60s, it is still addressing problems that we are having today in 2008. We just elected the first African American president, something that no one dreamed would happen. The mere fact that no one thought it was possible tells us that we are still trapped in a 1960's way of thinking.

I feel that in this movie, African Americans stay true to their culture, no one tried to "whiten" them up. The concept of integration becomes more of a reality throughout the movie, especially when Penny Pingleton (white female) and Seaweed (black male) fall in love in spite of a racist town and mother. The closing song is called "You Can't Stop the Beat" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw8ybll5SSc and one key line in the song sums up an attitude we all need to have today:

You can't stop today

No!As it comes speeding down the track

Child, yesterday is hist'ry

Be gone!And it's never coming back!

Cause tomorrow is a brand new day

And it don't know white from black

You can't stop

The motion of the ocean

Or the rain from above

They can try to stop ths paradise

We're dreaming of

You can't stop the beat!

Of all days, today is a new day. Things are changing and will continue to do so. We can do nothing to stop it. I hope this is a start of a great new chapter in American history.

The Whites of Their Eyes

In Stuart Hall's article, "The Whites of Their Eyes", he dives into exploring ideologies in the media about race. He breaks it into three parts, saying "First, ideologies do not consist of isolated and separate concepts, but in the articulation of different elements into a distinctive set or chain of meanings" (89). "Second, ideological statements are made by individuals but ideologies are not the produc of individual conciousness or intention. Rather, we formulate our intentions within ideology" (90). "Third, ideologies "work" by constructing for their subjects (individual and collective) positions of identification and knowledge which allows them to "utter" ideological truths as if they were their authentic authors" (90). He talks about media creating and recreating the ideas we have about race, and then mentions two types of racisim: overt and inferential". "Overt is "those many occasions when open and favorable coverage is given to arguments, positions and spokespersons who are in the business of elaborating an openly racist argument or advancing a racist policy or view" (91). Inferential is "those apparently naturalizeds representations of events and situations relating to race, whether factual or fictional which have racist premises and propositions inscribed in them as a set of unquestioned assumptions" (91). He explores the portrayals of blacks in the media, specifically in movies and TV saying that "one noticeable fact about all these images is their deep ambivalence-the double vision of the white eye through which they are seen. The primitive nobility of the aging tribesman or chief and the native's rhythmic grace, always contain both a nostalgia for an innocence lost forever to the civilized and the threat of civilization being over-run or determined by the reccurrence of savagery, which is always lurking just below the surface; or by an untutored sexuality, threatning to "break out"...."Is all this so far away as we sometimes suppose from the representation of race which fill the screens today? These particular versions may have faded. But their traces are still to be observed, re-worked in many of the modern and up to date images" (92).

Slavery may be a thing of the past, but we still have a long way to go. In the article, The Racial Chameleon, authors Entman and Rojecki talk about the difficulty blacks have in moving their way up, past all racist attitudes and attempts to keep them down. They say that whites see blacks as inferior still to this day and undeserving. BUT they do not think that the whites are not "incurably racist". They talk about the different situations in which whites feel animosity towards blacks and how that hinders any improvements that are necessary to take to help our world.

I'll admit it, I love the "Love Come Softly" series. I know they are so cheesy, but I can't help it. When I read this article about the stereotypical black characters, I thought immediately of a similar character in this story. If anyone has not heard/seen these movies, they are about the Davis family living in the 1800s, and the joys and trials the family faces on the frontier. It starts with Marty, Clark and daughter Missy and the series continues, following Missy as she grows, gets married and has children. The movie I am specifically thinking of is 4th in the series, Love's Abiding Joy. In this movie, Missy and husband Wille are settled into a new home, starting a cattle ranch and Willie hires 5 men to assist him on the ranch. There is Joe, Frank, and Henry who help with the cattle and then there's Cookie who is hired to help Missy in the home. Cookie fits the "slave-figure" within Hall's article, which is described as " dependable, loving in a simple, childlike way--the devoted "Mammy" with the rolling eyes, or the faithful fieldhand or retainer, attached and devoted to "his" master" (92). Cookie is that, completely. Cookie also happens to be my favorite character in the series because he is so happy and loving to the family. I know that the movie producers had to keep the characters and story line accurate to the time period but still. Cookie applied for the job, he was not kept as a slave which is an improvement but continues to enforce the stereotypes that we need to overcome.

Role Models

Celebrities are fascinating. Every time they step out of their house, we are updated on what they are wearing, who they are with, what they did, if they burped or cursed someone out, if their marriage is failing, if there is a hint of a baby bump, even if they did not put makeup on that day. They are just like us, do the same things we do, the only difference is that their lives are on public display, making the everyday things exciting and interesting. Since images and messages about celebrities are constantly thrown at us, naturally we become interested in them, and then develop favorites. Sometimes, celebrities become a role model to us. This usually takes place when we are kids, but it can impact us even as adults. We can admire qualities they have and want to imitate them. Or we can be somewhat shallow and want to imitate them for the sole reason that they are famous.

David Gauntlett explores the world of role models, focusing particularly on celebrity impact, defining a role model as " someone to look up to and someone to base your character, value or aspirations upon" (211). I had a couple role models growing up, they were usually the older kids in my youth group. But I know many friends that looked up to Britney Spears, the Spice Girls and Jessica Simpson. Today the popular role model for young girls is Miley Cirus. Are these celebrities good to look up to? Gauntlett explores the different types of role models:

The Straightforward sucess role model- had great sucesss in chosen field. Example: Brad Pitt

The Triumph over difficult circumstances role model- overcome adversity to achieve sucess. Example: Tiger Woods and Maya Angelous

The Challenging stereotypes role model: female action heroes. Example: Lara Croft

The Wholesome role model- great role model, but always the possibility that they can become an public disappointment. Example: Emma thompson...until she got pregnant out of wedlock.

The Outsider role model-rejected by mainstream- culture and defies social expectations. Example: Marilyn Manson

The Family role model- includes members of own family, as well as celebrity parents. Example: David and Victoria Beckham. Includes being negatvely defined by those who label certain parents as innappropriate role models. Example: lesbian couple

(all taken from pages 214-215)

Gauntlett then goes on to discuss one of the most powerful celebrity role model of our time- the Spice Girls. These six British women hit it big, not only in record sales but in the admiration of thousands of girls all over the world. The Spice Girls exemplified their motto of "Girl Power". Gauntlett talks about this phenomenon:

"Girl power concept was a celebration of self belief, independance and female friendship, and whilst cynics muttered that it was an empty ideology-sneering that its goals were only the right to shout "girl power" a lot-it nevertheless dud seem to be empowering for young girls. Pop music expert Shelia Whitely notes that the Spice Girls were a challenge to the dominance of lad culture and they introduced the language of independance to a willing audience of pre and teenage girls".

The Spice Girls showed girls how awesome it was to be a girl and those girls really bought it. I was in middle school during the time of the Spice Girls and they really were role models. They made being a girl fun and lived the ultimate girl life. They dressed in ridiculous fashion and were pretty ridiculous themselves but promoted messages that were healthy and self confidence boosting. I think that is why so many felt a connection with them. They showed girls everywhere how to appreciate and love who they were. Their impact was long lasting. Just last year, they did a reunion tour and so many friends of mine bought tickets and were so excited about it, proving that girl power and the love for the Spice Girls did not die when the band broke up.

Who are today's role models? Who are the celebrities that get looked up to? Who has the "Spice Girls" effect on girls today? Is it Miley Cirus? Is it the Highschool Musical crowd? Is it the PussyCat Dolls? Culture is so different than it was when I was in middle school. The Spice Girls were considered "sexy" but not even close to the level that the PussyCat Dolls are considered to be. The Spice Girls were more about fun, the Dolls are about sex. The Spice Girls did not have completely modest dress but the Dolls barely wear clothes. Do today's role models promote anything healthy? I think the Disney crowd tends to focus more on healthy messages than MTV stars. I would classify many of the Disney stars in the Wholesome Role Model category, but unfortunately many have fallen prey to negative images along the way. Nude online photos are not uncommon for that crowd. Is that a healthy role model for kids to have? Kids are the ones watching the Disney channel and they idolize the stars, so what happens when the "safe" star gets busted for racy photos or a DUI? Placing a celebrity in the category of role model is questionable and always has been. We worry about kids growing up too fast in today's society but when we look at who they idolize and imitate, is it any wonder we're having so many problems? I think someone needs to bring back the days of the Spice Girls...we all need a little more girl power in our lives.

Mulan

I love the Disney movie Mulan. It was/is one of my favorites. And now here I am, re-evaluating my admiration for the movie, after reading the article "Destructive and Constructive Characterizations of women in Disney's Mulan" by Katherine Barnett. Is any Disney movie safe? Did I watch anything growing up that did not fill my mind with unhealthy views of women or different races?

Barnett's arguement in this article is that "Mulan presents a mixed bag of negative and positive portrayals of women, with negative representations dominating" (185). She then goes on to describe these negative representations within the movie, playing heavily on her background and culture. She begins by discussing the scene where Mulan's matriarch and other women in the family are preparing her to be a "good bride". Barnett has the opinion that "Evidently the only way Mulan can honor her family is through her ability to attract a man. Her worth comes from her physical objectification as a pleasurable stimulus for the desires of men" (186).

She cites specifically Mulan's relationship with Mushu the dragon, calling him " a symbolic patriarch" (188) and stating that whle Mulan "thinks independantly and acts upon her ideas, that action s followed by or paired with some intervention by Mushu, thus making Mushu a neccessary element for Mulan's success" (188). She also mentions the last scene where Mulan bows to Mushu to thank him for his help, further cementing herself as the lower gender, even to a god-like dragon.

I wholeheartedly disagree with this article. Disney is known for putting heavy emphasis on gender and racial stereotypes but I do not feel that this is one movie where that happens ( at least not heavily). I always loved Mulan because she defied the stereotype of a princess and more specifically, a Disney princess. She was trapped by her culture in an identity that was not her own. She defied that role by taking on a challenge most men would not. She went to battle and was sucessful. Mushu was along for the ride, giving her advice but who doesn't need a good sidekick? What she did was not allowed or supported and she did it anyways to help her family and country. And lets be honest. Mulan kicked butt. She was ten times better and worked ten times harder than all those men to prove herself, thus defying a gender stereotype that women are weaker. I think Barnett missed the whole point that most of the problems Mulan encountered were because of her culture. It wasn't Disney forcing Mulan to be the oppressed woman forced to wear a dress, be polite, prepare herself from marriage and stay away from the war. That was Chinese culture and Disney was trying to pull from that to make it accurate. Was it 100% true to Chinese culture? Probably not. If nothing else, Mulan was a story that broke down those gender roles. Mulan had a role to live up to because of her culture and she defied that by joining the army in disguise and proving that girls can be just as strong as men. Mulan proved to girls everywhere that they could be just as good as a man even in something that is stereotypically a man's job. She did end up falling in love in the end, but after defeating a powerful army so I think we'll let that slide. After all, it is still Disney.

So sorry Barnett, your arguement does not cut it for me. I think if anything, Mulan is the anti Disney movie. It stays true to Chinese culture and above all shows how kick butt girls really are. It shows them that they don't have to settle for fulfilling the stereotypical role of women, they can break through those images. Its also a great movie for boys because it shows them that girls aren't always about makeup and dolls, they can fight too. I told the story in class about the two little boys I babysit for telling me I couldn't engage in a lightsaber fight because "girls don't fight". Well I plan on watching Mulan when I babysit next to see their reactions. In her article The Buffy Effect, Rachel Fudge talks about the level of "girl power" in Buffy the Vampire Slayer enhanced by low tops and a beautiful face. She quotes the producer of Buffy saying "If I can make teenage bots comfortable with a girl who takes charge of a situation without their knowing that's whats happening, its better than sitting down and selling them on feminism" (5). Interesting.

My absolute favorite song in that whole movie is "I'll Make a Man Out of You". In this clip, Shang (the commander) is trying to get his men in shape for battle and all of them are pathetic. Mulan is on the same level as the men, without any previous training or skills. As the song progresses, the men and Mulan improve until the grand finish where they are finally ready and able to fight. Be a Man.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK7XwLbd-oI

The More You Subtract, the More You Add

Girls are insecure. I know you're thinking, "thank you Captain Obvious" and you're welcome. I think thats a phrase that we have come to resonate with, to know to be true and now we are so numb to it. That is sad. Girls everywhere (even those who look the way society tells them is right) are struggling with how they view themselves and we are almost immune to it. Its a part of life.

We also know exactly why girls have this issue: media. Media gets blamed for many things, but this one is totally their fault. As girls grow up, images are thrown at them daily of what a women should look like. Just a couple weeks ago in grow group, my student chaplain opened the night by asking what the perfect women looks like. And you know what the answers of college aged women were? Probably the same as ones a little girl would say, only more defined. This woman had medium length blond hair, blue eyes, was a size 4, great legs, decent sized bust, lack of cankles (I think I might have thrown that one in), amazing style, just the right amount of flirty, successful, and because she is so perfect: a gorgeous boyfriend. Where did we get this women from? Were we inspired by friends and family members? Maybe a little. Or do we see this women on the cover of every magazine, watch her on TV every day, or buy movies that she stars in? This women is plastered all over the media, with some different variations. In the article by Jean Kilbourne, she mentions that not only does the media impact girls, but their peers. I think that the media is impacting the peers who impact these girls. Its a vicious cycle.

Within the same article, Kilbourne lists statistics of women, girls actually, that are obsessed with matching up to what they see and hear:

"Some studies have found that from 40 to 80 percent of 4th grade girls are dieting. Today at least one third of twelve to thirteen year old girls are actively trying to lose weight, by dieting, vomiting, using laxatives or taking diet pills. One survey found that 63 percent of highschool girls were on diets, compared with only 16 % of men. And a survey in Massachusetts found that the single largest group of highschool students considering or attempting suicide are girls who feel they are overweight" (261).

That is crazy. Girls who are barely out of childhood are dieting and highschool girls are trying to kill themselves because they don't look a certain way and people are making fun of them for it and they think its easier to starve themselves, or die than to just be happy and healthy as they are.

So... where did this obsession come from??

Growing up, I had countless amounts of Barbie dolls. I loved playing with them for hours, dressing them up, doing their hair, making them go on dates, get married, have kids, the whole sch bang. They were a toy, a toy that I loved so when I got older and someone challenged me on the fact that my Barbies were the unattainable perfect woman, I was taken aback and somewhat offended. This person thought I was horrible for having such an awful toy...but then again, I was only 5 and I liked them. Whats the harm? Now that I look back, yes Barbie fits the "perfect woman" that I referred to above (minus her overly arched feet). No I look nothing like Barbie, but that did not bother me as a kid. There have been talks about making "fat Barbies" to make things more correct. I think by calling them fat, you have already killed any positive that you try to promote. Did some girls get unhealthy images of what a woman should look like from Barbie? Its possible. But I think there needs to be a better balance, and not as much extremes.

This problem of low self confidence in women needs to be fixed otherwise we will continue to hear tragic stories of little girls dieting, women killing themselves and all others not wanting to look in a mirror.

Some Things Never Change

In the article, Inventing the Cosmo Girl, Laurie Ouellette discusses Cosmopolitan's beginnings and its editor in chief, Helen Gurley Brown. Brown wrote the book, Sex and the Single Girl. She claimed it was "a self help credo for the girl who doesn't have anything going for her... whose not pretty, who maybe didn't go to college and who may not even have a decent family background"(117). Brown had had 18 secretarial jobs, got promoted to advertising copy writer and did not marry until the age of 37 (117), so this book was largely drawn from her own personal experiences. She gave advice on work, housing, budget, physical appearance and of course, on sex. "Brown guided women through encounters with men who were not their husbands, instructing them how to attract the best ones, date them, cajole dinners and presents out of them, have affairs and eventually marry the most eligible man available" (118). After her great success, she became editor in chief of Cosmopolitan.

Cosmo was "the first consumer magazine to target single 'girls with jobs' with feature articles, advice columns, budget fashions and advertisements for mainly 'feminine' consumer items such as cosmetics, personal care products, lingerie and clothing" (119). This magazine was almost targeted for girls who were in the working class, did not hold any degrees and were ultimately trying to survive the single life. There were articles about improving yourself, how to accept who you are, what it means to be 'natural', and other various tips. Brown also capitalized on "sexual protocol", featuring articles on "female orgasm, birth control, masturbation, casual sex, and sexual experimentation" (123). Cosmo eventually moved into feminism, although not entirely. Cosmopolitan was a magazine before its time, speaking of those issues not necessarily discussed and defying "normal" standards.

Cosmo definitely fits in better today. There are more magazines like it, though it does position itself above the rest. The themes it had back in 1972 (magazine on right) still hold true today. Articles about weight loss, dealing with men, fashion, personal appearance, and sex sex sex. The way it is portrayed may be different, but the message that Cosmo started off with is the same over 30 years later.

Macho Macho Man

"Hooligans, Studs and Queers" by Varda Burstyn was fascinating to read. Everyone probably has someone in their lives that they would put into the "hypermasculine" group, someone who is a tough guy and believes that their strength can dominate all others in all realms of life. A good friend of mine actually just married someone that jumped immediately into my mind when I read the first few sentences of this chapter. I personally think he is a little bit much and its not always fun to get into a disagreement with him or try playing games with him. But I digress....

Within this chapter, Burstyn pulls this concept of hypermasculinity into the sports arena of life, mentioning three examples of masculinity: "british football hooliganism, the cult of the black super-athlete and the convergence of gay culture with the athleticized body" (193).

First, he begins with the british football holiganism, in which he talks about the overzealousness of fans over any sport. He is mainly talking about the pro sport arena but I would argue that some of this could even be exhibited in children rec leagues. We have heard countless stories of out of control parents over kids who should be there to have fun. Burstyn cites specific incidents of murder when it came to pro sports victories. He explains a possible root cause for this: "The core identification that links municipal and national identifications for the football hooligan is expressed in a physically palpable celebration of masculine coercive entitlement on the streets of neighborhoods of cities affliated to rival teams. Through the ritual desecration this celebration involves, we see how the male fans need to confirm his masculinity and reclaim his manhood impart power to the other traditionally 'political' identification-local, racial, ethnic or national-the athletic contest is seen to represent"(198). These men are not even apart of the teams but they get so caught up and so when there is a loss, it is absolute devastation and when there is a win, it is the ultimate moment in their lives.

He then goes on to talk about the “cult of the black super athlete”, He makes references to Tiger Woods, Jackie Robinson, Isaiah Thomas, and Michael Jordan, saying “the media and the world of sports celebrated these events and the remarkable black athletes who had, in intervening decades, risen to prominence in all the major North American sports (with the exception of hockey) ( Burstyn, 201). He also goes on to say that “the black super athlete has been welcomed as a wholesome, healthy, successful role model. Indeed, the athlete’s triumph is felt by many to rehabilitate the image of the black male, so distorted and stereotyped by mainstream, racist culture” (202). He talks about how the dominance of black men and their success in the realm of sports and other prominent positions and the effect it’s had on the image of black males in society.

The last representation of masculinity Burstyn talked about was the “athleticization of gay culture” (213). He first mentions that the previous two forms are homophobic, while this is one is basically the absence of masculinity. He mentions that masculinity came to “be defined in terms of men’s sexual conquest of women and of the repudiation of ‘feminine’ (expressive and receptive) qualities in themselves and other men” (213). He mentions the fact that there are only a few gay athletes that have come out because even if they are gay, they keep it to themselves, “appearing to be heterosexual” (214).

In his chapter entitled Advertising and the Construction of Violent White Masculinity, Jackson Katz explores the portrayals of masculinity within advertising, specifically of white males. He talks about the "construction of dominant masculinity" (351), as made by the media and enforced in today's society. He cites advertising specifically as molding and shaping men's views of masculinity, calling an "omnipresent and rich source of gender ideology" (351).Connecting with Berstyn's arguement, he talks about the portraying men as masculine in magazines and advertising using characteristics such as "the angry, aggressive, White working class male as anti-authority rebel; violence as genetically programmed male behavior; the use of military and sports symbolism to enhance the masculine identity; and the equation of heroic masculinitywith violent masculinity" (352).

I talked about the hooliganism form earlier on in this blog. The best example I can think of for this is my own state. I live in MA, home of the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, and New England Patriots. In the past few years, we have been winning titles left and right (we won't mention last February). When we win a title, the entire city goes crazy. People are hanging off the street lights, there is dancing in the streets, loud shouts of exclamations heard everywhere, hugging of total strangers, cars beeping horns, etc. I'm sure it’s no different in any other city, should the same happen, I'm just speaking from personal experience. When the Red Sox won the World Series for the first time in 86 years, it was the biggest party and the most trouble times 10. I guess I never thought anything of it, it was just what we did. This is what happens when we win. Boston teams are so dedicated to their teams so they feel Now for the flip side...

This year, our star quarterback on the Patriots, Tom Brady tore his ACL in the first quarter of the first season game and it was determined that he would be out for the entirety of the season. Talk about devastation. I talked to my dad a few hours after the press conference and he said that at the grocery store, all the men were walking around like zombies, only expressions of hurt and disappointment on their faces.

And as for the violence we also have the famous rivalry with the New York Yankees. I know all the history behind it, but unless you have actually been present at one of the two teams meeting, you cannot understand. Even when baseball is off season, or it’s another completely different event, sports or otherwise, it is not uncommon for a "YANKEES SUCK" chant to rise above the crowds. At mutual games, there is a heightened number of security to keep an eye on the inevitable fights that will break out. Not to mention the occassional fights that break out between the players on the field...

In all of these cases, while it is predominantly men acting this way, there are also some women that get quite into this as well. Is there such a thing as hypermasculinity hooliganism feminine style?