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Pascoe

C.J Pascoe discusses how society easily affects topics concerning sexual identity, gender roles, and being able to talk comfortably about these feelings even when they are a large part of a teenagers life. Especially during high school where many students are trying to find themselves and fit in. Teachers and fellow students are imposing roles on people and many times they may not notice or students might follow them in order to fit in. Pascoe initiates the argument of the staff and students affect on gender and sexuality at River High by first informing the us about the skit that the students perform. The skit is about two nerds who are very feminine and are taken advantage of by tough masculine gangsters. The students go through intense training and shed their feminine attributes in order to get their girlfriends back. Throughout the skit since the two boys where first feminine in their dance moves and voices it cause people to laugh at these non gender norms. The nerds also show that they must be masculine in order to be accepted and taken serious. Gender roles are imposed on us since the moment we’re born and if it someone expresses themselves outside of these norms they’re hushed or people may try to “correct” them. Pascoe also tells about the proposal she makes for River High concerning certain interviews she’d like to conduct at the school. Right away the principal told Pascoe that he was concerned about the gender and sexuality questions (Pascoe 28). This shows how students aren’t encouraged to talk about these things because they may make others uncomfortable. Pascoe also includes how one student laughed at the thought of students being questioned about their sexual behavior. Discussions on sexuality is to be avoided at schools and as pascoe says, disruptive.