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StephanieNapoles
ProfessorBeadle
English115

SuperpowersOvercomingGenderRoles?
Cansuperpowersnotonlyhelpdestroyevilbutsurpassgenderexpectationsaswell?
KamalaKhancomesfromaMuslimfamilywhoholdtotheirbeliefsverystronglyonwhatagirl
herageshoulddo,dress,andhowsheshouldact.KamalaKhanisnotanordinarygirlshehas
superpowersbutthosesuperpowersdonothelpher
surpass
thegenderexpectations.Womenof
differentcolororraceareoftenseenaslessandoftendonotfitthestandardofarealwoman
becauseoftheircolororbodytraits.Womenareoftenshamedbecausetheydonotfitthe
perfect
imageof
white,tall,andblondegirl.Thisoftenmakesgirlsbelievetheyarenotawomen
enoughtoherselforothers.Thisisonlythewaysocietyhassetthestandards.Menareoften
portrayedasstrongandpowerful.Womenareoftenshamedforbeingdifferentornotmeeting
societysstandardsonaperfectbeautifulgirl.InMs.MarvelKamaladoesnotsurpassthe
genderexpectationsbygainingsuperpowers.
In
Ms.Marvel
KamalaKhanisaMuslimgirlwhoatcertainpointsinthestoryisnottoo
wellacceptedorseeninherparentseyes.Kamlaaskspermissiontogotoapartyandisnot
allowedtogobecausetherewillbeboys,drinking,andbecauseitisnotsafeforagirltobeout
atnight.Sheisnotallowedbecauseofherbeliefsandreligions.Herparentsalsosayhowitis
notsafeforhertobeoutsolate.Evennowadays,parentsaremorestrictonraisinggirlsandgirls
arenotallowedtodocertainthingsguyswouldbeabletodo.Kamalaisexpectedtostayindoors


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doinghomeworkandwatchingmovies.OnceKamalastartstodisobeyherparents,herparents
aredisappointedandthinkshedestroyingherlife.Thisisjusttypeofthestereotypicalsexist
norms.Kamlasmotherexpectshertobeagooddaughterandbuilduptoonedaybemarried.
Herfatherexpectshertobehaveandfocusmoreonherschoolandmostlystudying.Whileher
brotherexpectshertofollowuptotheirreligiousbeliefs.
InthearticleNighttoHisDay:TheSocialConstructionofGenderbyJudithLorber,in
thearticlesaysGendercreatesthesocialdifferencethatdefinewomenandman.Insocial
interactionthroughouttheirlivesindividualslearnwhatisexpected,seewhatisexpected,act
andreactinexpectedways(Lorber28).Shespeaksofhowsocietysetscertaintraitsonboys
andgirlsanditshapesthewaywomenandmenareseen.Girlsareusuallyportrayedasweak,
emotional,andscared.AndinNightToHisDayitspeaksonhowwelearntomaintainthe
genderorder.AcontradictionthatispresentisinMs.Marvelaguyworkingwiththeinvestor
says,ButI'mtakingcareofit.Shesagirl.Easytoscare(Wilson104).Theguyjustassumes
thatKamalawillbeweakandfrightenedawayeasily.KamalaKhanwasabletorescueherfriend
andwasnotfrightenedawayeasilyastheguyworkingwiththeMr.Edisonsaid.
Veryoftencertainactivitieswillbetracedbacktoacertaingender.Forexampleplaying
videogameisoftenseenasanactivityforboys.AlthoughinMs.MarvelBrunotellsKamalashe
kicksbuttinvideogames.KamalaKhanisinthewaychanginggenderexpectationsbydoing
somethingthatwouldbeconsideredaboyactivity.
InadditionanothercontradictionpresentinMs.MarveliswhentheInventorsaysMr.
Edisonisamanofvaryingmoods.Itisoftensaidthatwomenareemotionalandvaryin
moodsanditbroughtupthatMr.Edisonistoo,showingthatnotonlywomen,butmencanbe


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emotionaltoomakingthepointthatnotonlywomencanshowtheiremotionsassocietythinks
thatwomenarealwaystheemotionalone.InthestoryMr.Edisonwouldmostlikelybeseenas
theemotionaloneandKamalaKhanwouldnot.
NowthatwehaveseensomecontradictionsonhowMs.Marveldoesovercomethe
gendernormsIwillmentionhowIbelieveshedoesnot.KamalaKhandreamsofbeingthis
beautifulgirl.OncesheisMs.Marvelshesays,ThisiswhatIaskedfor.SowhydontIfeel
strongandconfidentandbeautiful.IalwaysthoughtthatifIhadamazinghair,ifIcouldpull
offbootsthatwouldmakemefeelstrongthatwouldmakemehappy(Wilson34).Veryoften
womensuperherosareseenwearingbootsorheelswhentofightcrimeitdoesnotseemtobea
wellfit.Mostwomensuperheroesareseenwearingheelsorbootsofsomesortandwhen
someoneisfightingcrimeitwouldnotbetooconvenienttobewearingheels,butwhywear
thesebootsthen?Easy,societyconnectsheelstofemininity.Awomanwearingbootswouldbe
seenasmorefemininethanonewearingshoes.
KamalaKhanisnothappybecauseeventhough
shelooksbeautifulandisthispersonshealwaysdreamedof,itmadenodifferencesheisstillthe
sameontheinside.Itdidnotboostherconfidenceorhelpherfeelbetteraboutherself.She
thoughtthatonceshelookedlikethisamazingpersonitwouldalsoboostherconfidence.
Kamalathinksthatinorderforgirlstobeseenasprefectshemustlookacertainwayfor
hertobeaccepted.Thisshowshowmanygirlsmightthinkthattheyarenotbeautifuloreven
confidentintheirownbodiesbecauseofhowtheylook.WhenKamalasavedthegirlfrom
drowningshesays,Afterthatthingonthenews,everybodyisexpectingMs.Marvel.Areal
superherowiththeperfecthairandboots.NotKamalaKhanfromJerseyCity(Wilson70).She
isscaredtobetherealherbecauseofthewayshethinkstheworldwantsMs.Marveltolook,


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likeablondehaired,tall,womenwithboots.Whenshehasherpowers,sheshapeshiftsintoa
whitetallblondesheisgivingintowhatshethinkssocietywantsorfindsperfect.Inthearticle
VisibleorInvisible:GrowingUpFemaleinPornCulturebyGailDinesitsaysTobefeminine
requiresnotonlytheaccoutrementsofhypersexualityhighheels,tightclothes,andsoon
(Dines258).
Thisarticleexplainshowinsocietyinorderforawomantobeconsideredfeminine
therearecertaintraitsfromthewayawomanbodylooks,thewaysheacts,andthewayshe
dresses.
WhensheshapeshiftstowhatshethinkssocietywouldfindasaperfectMs.Marvelis
seennotwearingtoomuchclothing.Sheiswearingsomethingshethoughtwouldfulfillthis
perfectsuperheroimage.Butonthecontraryshesaysbutthehairgetsinmyfaceandthis
leotardisgivingmeanepicwedgie(Wilson34).Showingthatshebecamesomeoneshethought
wasverybeautifulandperfectitwasnotwhatsheexpectedandnotverycomfortableaswell.
Sheiseventoldonthewayhomebyahomelessmanhowshehadnicelegswhichcreepsherout
moreandshecoversupabit.Thisnotonlyshowshowwhatwearingwhatshethoughtwould
pleasetheworldwasnotcomfortablebutwhenshegetstoldherkneeswerenice.Insociety
womenareoftenseenwearinglessclothingwhichconnectstohowwomenareoftenseenassex
objectsandneverfortheirintellectuality.
InthearticleHegemonicMasculinityandBlackGenderIdeologybyPatriciaHill
Collinswhichspeaksofhowcertainracesandclassesarecategorizedandconstructed.Howon
thehierarchyofmasculinitiesandhowwomenofcertaincolorsareputtothebottomofthis
genderhierarchy.Womenofcolorareputtothebottomdependingonfemininityandthe
standardssetup.Femininityisbasedonthebodyandcertainattributes.Haircolor,hairlength,


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bodycolor,andcertainattributesalsoplayarole.Thisarticlebasicallyspeaksonhowsociety
placesahighvalueontraitsmenandwomenshouldhaveandhavingthesetraitsplacesyouon
topofthesocalledhierarchy.InherarticlePatriciamentionsthefollowingAgooddealofthe
womensbeautyisassociatedwiththeirhair,thisaspectofwomensphysicalappearancetakes
onaddedimportanceintheprogressconstructinghierarchiesofwomenfemininity(Collins
234).ThisrelatesbacktohowKamalashapeshiftstothisbeautifulgirlandspeaksofhowhaving
beautifulhairwouldmakeherfeelmorepowerfulandconfident.IndeedshowingKamalas
superpowersareofnouseinovercominggendernorms
andintheendofthestorydoesnotseem
tochangeherbehavior.
InadditionKamalaKhandoesnotovercomesociety'sgendernormsbecauseinthestory
whensheisstuckanddoesnotknowwhattodonextshereliesonherfriendBruno'shelp.
KamlasaysIneedtoborrowyoursciencenerdbrain(Wilson54).Shetellshimtothinkand
helphercomeupwithasolution.Insteadofrelyingonherownknowledgesheranbacktoher
boyfriendforananswer.Brunohelpshercomeupwithasolution.Womenareoftennotseenas
intellectualandthisjustaddstothatsexistgendernormthatwomenarenotassmartasmen.
Inconclusioncansuperpowersreallyhelpovercomegenderroles?Noitcannotbecause
throughoutthestoryeventhoughatcertainpointsweseeKamalaKhanovercomecertaingender
rolesshestillfallsbacktoconformingtosocietysexpectations.Shegaveintowhatshethought
societywouldlikeandwasafraidtobeherself.Sheportrayedherselfassomeonewhocouldnot
solveherownproblemsandhadtoborrowintelligencefromherfriend.Shetriestolook
femininefallingintosociety'sgenderconformity.Herpowersdidnotmakehermindsetstronger
toovercomethesegenderexpectations.


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WorkCited

Groner,Rachel,andJohnF.O'Hara."NighttoHisDay:TheSocialConstructionof
Gender."
ComposingGender:ABedfordSpotlightReader
.Boston:Bedford/St.Martin's,2014.
N.pag28.Print.

Groner,Rachel,andJohnF.O'Hara."HegemonicMasculinityandBlackGender
Ideology."
ComposingGender:ABedfordSpotlightReader
.Boston:Bedford/St.Martin's,
2014.N.pag234.Print.

Wilson,G.Willow,andAdrianAlphona.
Ms.Marvel:NoNormal
.NewYork,NY:Marvel
Worldwide,2014.Print.