Contrasting Just Kids and Violence Girls Using Gender - Essay Example

Compare and Contrast Just Kids and Violence Girls using gender, race, and violence that shaped them Introduction The roles and responsibilities of different genders within the society have been clearly distinguished since historical times. While men are naturally known to perform productive roles, women are responsible for reproduction and nurturance. In this respect, men are expected by the society to provide for the economic needs of their families. Women on the other hand are closely associated with child bearing as well as motherhood. These cultural perceptions have to a great extent influenced the roles that women as well as men assume in the current society. However, there are some factions of the society that have moved beyond relative boundaries and labels. In particular, there are women who have assumed roles that are traditionally considered to be men’s Likewise, some segments of the male fraternity have assumed feminine roles. This state of affairs has been occasioned by a host of factors. An in depth evaluation of certain contributory aspects ascertains that general societal conditions influence relative decision making. In essence, the environment within which the child is nurtured and brought up greatly influences the decisions that such children make regarding the issue of gender roles. In essence, the environment comprises of the values and virtues that guide behavior accordingly. It is the respective attributes that determine the perceptions of children regarding gender roles. Ultimately, this influences their behavior and general decision making. It is against this background that this paper provides a comparative review of Just Kids and Violence Girls in light of gender, race, class and violence that shaped them. To begin with, it is worth appreciating that both Smith Patti and Alice Bag defied all odds to explore a music genre that was considered by the society to be masculine. In this regard, they actively participated in rock music and coupled with their poetic background, made even greater contributions to the composition of the respective pieces of music. A biographical account of Smith’s childhood indicates that her mother expected her to be a waitress. From a cultural point of view, this is an ‘acceptable’ profession within the female sphere. The mother’s expectations were greatly influenced by the societal and cultural beliefs regarding women roles in the then society. Unlike her counterpart, Alice Bag grew up in a violent society that did not clearly define its expectations with respect to her profession. Arguably, although Bag grew up in a violent background, societal expectations equally required her to explore feminine fields of profession. To a great extent, Clawson cites that violence in the then society was simply a means through which the male faction asserted their superiority. The female counterparts were therefore expected to assume a low profile in response to this violence. Notably, the experiences that the two artists have during their youth also impacts significantly to the decisions that they take during the later stages of their lives. After moving to New York, Smith did not have any friends and relied on well wishers to provide her with shelter and food. Her decision to relocate to New York during these early stages of her life can be attributed to the differences that she had earlier on with her mother. Reportedly, her mother had wanted her to be a waitress but she preferred to explore her poetic capabilities and music talents. At this point in time, it can be ascertained that she suffered from the effects of isolation and the relative negative psychological implications. These could have shaped the decisions she made in some cases. From a psychological point of view, frustrations in some instances encourage social resistance. Comparatively, the social isolation and frustrations that Alice Bag encountered during the early stages of her life were more pronounced. Undoubtedly, these had a direct impact on her behavior, social relationships that she established during that particular time and the decisions that she made too. In particular, Alice has been cited to have suffered from overweight during her teenage. Her teeth were also crooked and from this, it is apparent that she suffered social segregation on the basis of gender and looks. Just like smith, this experience was disheartening for her and probably contributed to her social defiance. In his research, Clawson indicates that any form of discrimination has lasting implications on the wellbeing of the affected party (Clawson 194). The relative implications were particularly detrimental to individuals who had established close ties or relations with the entire society. In this respect, it is worth appreciating that the society plays an instrumental role of providing social support systems for its populations. These are supportive of growth and development in different ways. Most importantly, they provide a platform upon which social and environmental resources can be explored by the population to sustain an upward growth. For this reason, social networks and relative relationships need to be upheld accordingly. Perhaps the most influential aspect to the lives of the two women pertained to the violence that they experienced during their early childhood. In this respect, Clawson appreciates that the themes that are explored by rock music are characterized by a considerable degree of violence (Clawson 195). Together with metal music, these pass on ‘harsh’ messages that advocate for violence. In extreme cases, they even encourage suicide. This can be used to explain why constant exposure to this genre of music encourages violence amongst the affected population. Conversely, exposure to violence especially during early stages of one’s life encourages one to prefer this type of music. The affected individuals tend to identify themselves with the violent themes that they are used to for a long period of time. Exposure to violence reportedly culminates in cases of insensitivity amongst the affected populations. In this respect, the affected individuals tend to perceive violence as a common aspect of their lives. Thus they employ violent means in problem resolution approaches. Of great concern however is the tendency of them to prefer these violent approaches to more benign strategies. In the long run, they make the practice a part of their lifestyle and tend to be more comfortable in an environment that has relative conditions. Notably, both Smith and Alice are greatly affected by violent environmental conditions. Their biographical accounts indicate that their childhoods were characterized by a significant degree of violence. This had direct implications on the decisions that they made in future. Apparently, this state of affairs influenced them in to pursuing rock music. They were comfortable around their male counterparts and the general psychological as well as physical environment that this artistic genre provided. The exploration of their childhood enables the reader or audience to understand and appreciate the decisions that the two artists made. Similarly, it enables one to understand and explain their behavior. Another reason that can be used to explain why the two women decided to explore rock music pertains to the racial perceptions that the then society held about Whites. In this regard, it is worth appreciating that rock music was originally explored by the White population. Basically, this population has maintained dominance in most fields of specification. Thus to assert their position as some of the first women to venture into rock music Viesca contends that the two women decided to explore the field (Viesca 725). This was further compounded by the fact that the two women had suffered the negative implications of social isolation especially during their childhood. The relational inconsistencies compelled them to work hard to establishing themselves as rock music icons. Also, both musicians experience problems in establishing and maintaining sustainable social relationships especially during their childhood. This is attributable to the hostile and violent environment that the two were exposed to. Reportedly, Alice did not have stable family relations and she continuously struggled with issues pertaining to faith and trust. As aforementioned, Smith on the other hand left her family in a bid to explore her poetic talent. These relational discrepancies have adverse impacts on the relationships that the two icons establish in future. Notably, these are not healthy and are characterized by conflicts. Certainly, the root of all these lies in the childhood experiences of the two women. At this point, it is certain that exploration of their childhood greatly aids in understanding of their behaviors. During this period of time, Rock music industry was dominated by the males. This can be attributed to its violent characteristic. Women were naturally considered to be weak and as such, the society presumed that they could not cope with violence and stress. However, these two women decide to venture in this field of rock music. Arguably, they had all the capacities that were required to explore the field optimally. Notably, Viesca notes that the two women had great voices and the courage needed to sing as well as present rock music effectively (Viesca, 729). With this attributes, they believed that they had the potential and proceeded to exploring it. Their success in this industry is equally attributable to the social changes that were taking place. From a historical point of view, women were gradually being accepted in the male dominated fields. The audience was therefore receptive to their music and supported them accordingly. Conclusion At this point in time, it cannot be disputed that inherent disparities in social perceptions regarding gender, class and race played an important role in shaping the lives of the two music icons. In particular, the aforementioned factors encouraged them to pursue this field regardless of the oppositions that they would get from the entire society. From a psychological point of view, they were simply asserting their position as leaders and initiators of social change. Seemingly, this enabled them to be considered as heroes and to be accorded the human worth they had been denied previously. Their success can further be attributed to the social change that was taking place at this particular time. Works Cited Clawson Mary. When women play the bass: Instrument specialization and gender interpretation in alternative rock music. Gender and Society, 13.2 (1999): 193-210. Print Viesca Hugo. The battle of Los Angeles: The cultural politics of Chicana/ o music in greater Eastside. Battle of Los Angeles,1.1 (1997): 719- 736. Print. Read More