The End Isn't Near, It's Here
Could Mulan's actions be performed by a man?
The way this question is worded, it could be answered in two ways. Looking at it literally, obviously yes, a man could perform the actions of Mulan because being a soldier in the Chinese army during that era was a man's "job." This established norm is what makes the idea of a woman doing the duties of a man so exciting because of the conscious "rule breaking." It reminds me of something similar found in professional sports. Specifically, when women end up playing on men's teams and the implications and complications of that. I'm not going to discuss that here because Hollywood has done more than just beat that story to death.
On the other hand, if Mulan were a male and disguised himself as a woman to do traditional women activities, could a man do such a thing? I find it hard to answer because I have trouble coming up with institutions that are strictly feminine. What if male Mulan stayed at home to support a family during a time of war? I don't think that quite compares because a man would not necessarily have to diguise himself. In fact, female Mulan's actions are perceived to be examples of bravery, valor, and honor, but if a male Mulan disguised himself to support his family, he would be seen as a traitor, unpatriotic, and a coward. In today's society however, we could justify his actions and say that he is sacrificing his honor and putting his family first.
Since I am having the toughest time trying to think up a situation where a male would have to disguise himself as a woman to achieve commendations of some sort, I think it is fair to say that a man would not be able to do what Mulan did. However, this brings up a double standard and perpetuates the moronic notion of the idealized alpha male archetype. What this implies (past the fact that maybe the extent of my socialization is irreversible) is that men are expected to achieve and maintain an unrealistic image. While certain males appear to have satisfied this expectation, it is impossible to stay "on top" at all times. On the other hand, the double standard that I am talking about is how a woman can "step up" and do a man's duty, but a man is expected to be on that step already. This ties into what I mentioned previously. If a man were to "step up" to raise a family, instead of just providing financial support, is relatively new and really only predominant in Western culture. In some circles, this is expected of him as well.
So I feel like I need to conclude this academic blogging with something meaningful and lasting. Here goes. We've spent many hours discussing the differences and similarities of gender. We've talked about how socialization plays a significant, if not paramount, role in the perpetuation of stereotypes and how images of the gender roles are created. We have done this so much so that sometimes, I feel as if a homogeneous single gender, or no gender at all, would be most beneficial to society. However, I've thought about this a few times and I've decided that instead of trying to "label" people to confine them to certain boundaries and expectations, we should make an honest and conscious attempt to try to understand, or at least be aware of what makes each of us unique. Instead of fearing other people's differences and trying to change "them" to fit "us," we should just embrace, and learn from one another.
