Dude, You're a Fag - Discussion Questions
Elise
Below are several ideas for discussion questions for tomorrow's
meeting. Of course, any other questions are more than welcome. I look
forward to hearing everyone's thoughts on the book!
1. In Chapter 1, Pascoe writes, “Gender scholars who study women have
not been nearly as interested in femininity as scholars of men have
been in masculinity”. Why do you think this is?
2. Jessie, an out lesbian student, was well-liked and voted homecoming
queen. Ricky, an openly gay student, was an outcast and treated with
violence and disgust. Why is an effeminate boy considered more
threatening than a masculine girl?
3. What role did school administration play in creating the homophobic
environment Pascoe describes?
4. Pascoe described several instances of girls receiving unwanted
touching from boys, which may be perceived by school administration as
merely teenage flirtation. How does this encourage male entitlement to
women’s bodies, and/or discourage girls from reporting sexual
harassment?
5. Pascoe’s analysis may lead us to believe that masculinity (and
femininity) are learned behaviors, created and reinforced by the
surrounding social environment. Do you agree or disagree?
6. Do you think Ariel Levy would label Rebeca, one of the Basketball
girls, a female chauvinist pig?
7. Pascoe witnessed many accounts of verbal and physical harassment
between students (in quite a few variations: boy to boy, boy to girl,
girl to girl). There have also been several recent incidents in the
news about teen girls committing suicide after being repeatedly
harassed by classmates for “sexting”. Why is harassment such a large
part of the high school experience and how can this issue be
adequately addressed?
8. Do you think 18 months of fieldwork at one school portrays an
accurate picture of high school in America? Do you find any flaws in
the author’s method of collecting information?
9. Can you envision a future in which men are “allowed” to be feminine
in ways women are allowed to be masculine today?