Baldwin1

KeraleeBaldwin
ProfessorBeadle
English115
15October
,
2015
GenderStereotypesandExpectationsinMs
.
Marvel
Astereotypeisanimagethatisheldofapersonorthingthatisbasedoffofassumptions
.
Everydaypeopleallovertheworldarebeingstereotyped
.
Alongwithstereotypes
,
everyonehas
thepressuretoliveuptowhatsocietyexpectsofthem
.
Althoughstereotypesandexpectations
willalwaysbepresentitishowweacttowardsthemwhichisimportant
.
G
.
WillowWilson
,
AdrianAlphona
,
andJacobWyatt
,
thecreatorsofthenew
Ms
.
Marvel
series
,
revealedthateven
afterthemaincharacterKamalabecamesupershestillwasfacedexpectationsandstereotypes
,
butwithhelpfulwordsfromherfathershedecidestoignorethesestereotypesandexpectations
andjustbeherself
.
Afewwaysthatthesestereotypesandexpectationswereportrayedwere
throughthecommentsofherfriendBruno
,
andtheexpectationsofwhatMs
.
Marvelissupposed
tolooklike
,
Eventhoughthesearepresent
,
Kamalarealizesthatsheisperfectjustthewaythat
sheis
,
andthatnoonewillevercompletelyliveuptotheexpectationsplacedonthemby
society
.
Kamalaisaperfectexampleofsomeonewhotriestheirbesteventhoughtheywillnever

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fulfillthestereotypesandexpectationsplaceduponthem
.
Finally
,
theauthorsalsouse
backgroundimagestorevealanencouragingmessage
,
thatwomencanbesuperheroesaswell
.
ThefirstwaythatitisseenthatKamalastillneedstodealwithgenderstereotypes
,
is
whensheistryingtosaveherfriendBrunofrombeingrobbedathiswork
.
Afterthepolice
finallyleavethesceneanditisjustKamalaandBruno
,
KamalafindsoutthatBrunosyounger
brother
,
Vick
,
wastheperpetratorintheattemptedrobbery
.
Withtheknowledgethathehas
gottenintosomeprettymessedupstuff
,
shetellsBrunothatshewantstohelpVickgetoutofthe
troubleheisin
.
Bruceimmediatelyshootsdowntheideasaying
,

Noway
.
Itcouldbe
dangerous
.
Illhandleit

(
Wilson
,
Alphonaet
.
al
.,
74
).
Shethenpointsoutthatsheistheone
withsuperpowersandnowtherolesarereversedtowheresheneedstoprotecthim
,
towhichhe
admitsthatisfreakshimout
.
Itisclearlyseenherethatevenaftershehasreceivedherpowers
,
thestereotypeofwomenneedingmentoprotectthembecausetheyareweakisimmediately
appliedbyherbestfriend
,
evenafterjustwitnessinghertakeabulletandwalkingaway
completelyokay
.
SimilartowhatistalkedaboutbyCollinsinhisarticle
,

Hegemonic
MasculinityandBackGenderIdeology
,
Brunoisshowingthetraitsthatmenneedtobethe
dominantoneandnotshowweakness
,
sonowsinceKamalaisstrongerandmorepowerfulthan
heis
,
andthatfreakshimout
.
Acounterargumentcouldbethathejustwantedtoprotecther
becausehecaresaboutherdeeply
,
butlogicallyafterwitnessingKamalawalkawaycompletely

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fineafterbeingshotrightinfront
,
IthinkitwouldbeprettyobviousthatBrunoshouldrealize
thatKamaladoesnotneedBrunoasmuchasshedidinthepast
.
AnotherexampleofexpectationsthatKamalastillfacesisforhertolookandbelikeMs
.
Marvel
.
WhenpeopleseeKamalatheywouldeverexpecthertobethenewMs
.
Marvel
,
why?
KamalaandMs
.
Marvellooknothingalike
.
Forexample
,
theoriginalMs
.
Marvel
,
Carol
Danvers
,
istall
,
thin
,
beautiful
,
andblondewithallthedesiredcurvesawomanshouldhave
basedonsocietysopinion
.
Kamalaontheotherhand
,
sheisagirlofcolor
,
aMuslim
,
sheis
short
,
andisnotverycurvy
.
AnexampleofwhatpeopleexpectwhatMs
.
Marveltolooklikeis
whenthepolicearriveattheCircleQ
,
whereKamalahadjuststoppedaburglary
.
Thepolice
officerarrivedexpectingtoseeMs
.
MarvelbutwhenhesawKamalaheaskediftheywere
playingajokeonhimbecauseshedoesnotlooklikeMs
.
Marvel
.
Kamalaasksplayfullywhat
Ms
.
Marvelissupposedtolooklike
,
andhebluntlytellsherthatsheneedstobetallandblonde
withbigpowers
.
Kamaladealswiththisinaverycomedicandgoodheartedway
,
shethenjokes
abouthowshedoeshave

big

powersandsheenlargesherselftoproveso
.
Thepolicemanis
nothavinganyofthat
,
andbasicallyignoresKamalaafterhecomestotheconclusionthatMs
.
Marvelwasnotthere
.
Acounterargumentcouldbemadethatthepoliceofficerwasjustafanof
Ms.Marvelandwasjustdisappointedwhenhecouldnotseeher.Thisdoesnotholdanyreal

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valuethoughbecausethereisnosolidevidencetosupportthatclaim
,
andinthecomicitis
prettyclearwhathisopinionofKamalawaswhenhedidnotbelievethatshewasMs.Marvel.
Lateoninthestory
,
afterkamalacomeslosesafightshegoeshomeandisconfrontedbyher
father
.
HetriestoaskherwhysheissneakingoutbutKamaladecidesnottotellhim
.
Herfather
thanofferssomeveryassuringwordsandpointsoutsocietysexpectationsofher
.
Hesays
,

I
knowthekindofpressuresonyounggirlsthesedayspressuretobethingsthattheyarenot
,
anddothingstheydonotwanttodo
.
Idontwantthatforyou
,
beta
.
Notformyonlydaughter
.

(
Wilson
,
Alphonaet
.
al
.,
92
).
InthisquotethefatheristryingtoencourageKamalathatshe
doesnotneedtoliveuptosocietysexpectationsandthatsheisperfectjustthewaythatsheis
.
Kamalaacceptswhatherfathertellsher
,
andfinallyembracesthatsheIuniqueallonheown
andthatsheshouldinsteadbeherselfasMs
.
Marvel
.
OnewaythatKamalaembracesherselfisinhernewcostume
.
Insteadofwearingaskin
tightrevealingleatherleotardandthighboots
,
shechangeshercostumetowhatmatchesher
.
Her
newcostumeconsistsofwearingredunderclothesthatcoverherarmsandlegs
,
heroldpurple
burkiniwithapuffypaintedyellowlightningboltacrossit
,
andcomfortablebootsforhertorun
in
.
ShethenenlistsinthehelpofherfriendBrunotomakehernewcostumefittohersuper
powers
.
Withhernewfoundconfidenceshegoesbacktothemanshehadpreviouslyfoughtand
wins
.
TheauthorsuseKamalaasagreatexampletoyoungchildreninthisscenebyshowingthat

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itisokaytobeyourselfandtonotliveuptosocietysexpectations
,
becausethenyoucan
accomplishyourgoals
.
AccordingtoRosenbloom
,
authorof

GoodGirlsGoBad
,
foraDay
,

over90to95percentofourfemalecostumeshaveaflirtyedgetothem

(
168
).
Kamalachose
tobreakthisstereotypeofneedingtohavearevealingandflirtycostume
,
andinsteadjustended
upmakingherown
.
AnotherinterestingwaythattheyauthorsofMs
.
Marvelshowtheencouragementto
breakoutofsocietysexpectationsofhowwomenareweakisbythebackgroundpictures
.
Early
oninthestory
,
whenKamalarealizesthatbeingasuperheroissomethingthatshecan
accomplish
,
thereisaposterinthebackgroundofherroomthatcatchestheeye
.
Theposterisa
parodyofthefamous

RosietheRiveter

posterfromWorldWarII.Ibelievetheauthorsput
thisin
Ms.Marvel
togivethesameencouragingmessagethatwasdisplayedbackthen.Inthe
originalpostertherewerefourwordswritteninboldlettersabovethewoman
,
WECANDO
IT!Thisposterwastoencouragewomenthattheycoulddothesameworkasthemenandhelp
outwiththewarbydoinghardjobssuchasbeingariveter.Justlikebackthenthisposterisan
encouragementtoKamalathatshecanbecomeasuperheroandsavepeoplejustlikeallthe
otherheroes.
Inconclusion
,
Kamalaisnevergoingtoescapethegenderstereotypesandexpectations
placedonher
,
butshecancombatthemwithhowsherespondstothem
.
Afewwaysthatthese
stereotypesandexpectationswereportrayedwasthroughthecommentsofherfriendBrunoand

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howhefeltweirdaboutherbeingtheonewhoneededtoprotecthim
,
andtheexpectationsof
whatKamalashouldlooklikeasMs.Marvel
.
AlsoitwasshownhowKamalareactedand
ignoredsocietysexpectationsofherbyherbeingherselfwiththehelpfromherfatherwho
explainedthatshedidnotneedtofollowsocietysexpectations
.
TheBackgroundimageofthe
parodyofRosietheRiveterwasalsoexplainedhowthatgaveKamalaencouragementand
showedhowwomencanbesuperheroesaswell.Eventhroughallofthestereotypesand
expectationsputonKamala,sheendsupembracingherselfevenmore.Thisisagoodexampleto
thosewhoalsofacestereotypesandsocietysharshexpectationstotrytonotconformand
remaintruetoyourself.

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WorksCited
Collins
,
PatriciaH
.

HegemonicMasculinityandBackGenderIdeology

ComposingGender
.
Boston:LeasaBurton
,
2014
.
222238
.
Print
Rosenbloom
,
Stephanie
.

GoodGirlsGoBad
,
foraDay
.
ComposingGender
Boston:
LeasaBurton
,
2014
.
165169
.
Print
Wilson
,
Alphonaet
.
al
.

Ms
.
Marvel
.

NewYork
,
N
.
Y
.
:MarvelWorldwide
,
Inc
.
LLC
,
2014
.