Beitdashtoo1

AndrewBeitdashtoo
ProfessorBeadle
English115
December8,2015
AMarvelousGender
Comicbookshavebeenentertainingpeopleofallageseversincetheircreation.When
onethinksofsuperheroes,thefirstdescriptionthatcomesintomindismaleMuscular,strong,
andcourageous.Thesetraitsareallconsideredtobemasculineandthereforehavecreateda
commonmindsetinsocietythatmostheroesmustbeextremelymasculinemen.Usually,there
arefemalesinmanycomicbooks,buttheyarecommonlyportrayedasfemininesidekicksor
villains.Mostofthetime,thesewomenareplacedwithincomicsinordertoaddsexualtension
andreliefthroughoutthebooks.
Ms.Marvel
,ontheotherhand,isacomicthatiswrittento
portraya
woman
asasuperhero,ratherthanjustasidekick.Throughoutthebook,different
genderrolesarefoundtobediscussedandcontradictedinordertocreateMs.Marvel,afemale
superhero.
ThevariouspiecesofevidencethatcanbefoundinthebookprovethatMs.Marvel
transgressesbetweengenderrolesinhernaturalstateaswellashersuperherostateinorderto
keepequality,power,andsocialrankingbalancedinbothherforms.
Whenonecompares
Ms.
Marvel
byG.WillowWilsontoarticlesfoundin
ComposingGender
suchasRethinking
WomensBiology,andHegemonicMasculinityandBlackGenderIdeology,thereadercan
findmanysimilaritiesbetweengenderrolesthatarediscussedbetweenbothbooks.
Equalityisoneofthebiggestconcernswhenitcomestogenderroles.Recently,society
hasstartedtoacceptthefactthatmenandwomenshouldbetreatedequally,butfailstoact

Beitdashtoo2
towardsthesubject.In
Ms.Marvel,
thereaderisconstantlyawareofthematterofequality.The
reasonastowhythisissoisbecauseKamalaKhan,themaincharacterof
Ms.Marvel
,is
constantlysurroundedbybothmenandwomen.Infact,hertwobestfriends,NakiaandBruno,
differinsex.ItisquiteinterestingthatKamalahaschosenthesetwoasherfriendsconsidering
theircharacteristics.
Onthefirstpageofthecomicbook,thereaderwillnoticethat
Nakiaisan
extremelyfemininegirlwhostronglypracticesandlivesbytherulesofIslam.
Thisiseasily
noticedatthebeginningofthebook,specificallyinthefirstandsecondpages.Onthefirstpage,
thereaderwillnoticethatNakiaiswearingascarfuponherheadandalsolooksdownupon
Kamalaforsmellingbacon,ameatthatgoesagainstmuslimprinciples.
Brunoontheotherhand
isanaveragejoewhitemalewhostickstohismasculinetraits.
Thisisprovenduringtheparty
sceneonpage10wherehestandsupforKamalaaftersheistrickedintodrinkingalcohol.Bruno
statesWhattheheckiswrongwithyou,Josh?inanangrytoneashetriestoprovehis
masculinityanddominance.
Comparedtohertwofriends,Kamalaseemstobeinfluencedby
bothandstuckinthemiddleofthem.Forinstance,sheisalsoaMuslimgirlwhoisproudofher
roots,butisalsotiredofbeingtreatedlikeayounggirl.Kamalawishestobeabletomakeher
ownchoicesandrelatetodifferentgenderroleswhichareconsideredmasculine.
Inthebeginningofthebook,thereareacoupleofsceneswhichoccurthatallowthe
readertoviewKamala'scontemplationsaboutfemininityandmasculinity.Bothofthesescenes
leadtoapartywhichidentifiesthedifferenttypesofgenderrolesfoundinsociety.Thefirst
sceneoccurswhenKamalaishavingdinnerwithherfamilyandbringsuptheideaofgoingtoa
party.Shetellsherdadabouthowitwillincludeboysandthatshewouldnotdoanythingstupid,
butherfatherdoesnotseemtocare.Instead,headvisesKamalatoinviteNakiaoverinorderto

Beitdashtoo3
completehomeworkandwatchmoviesthingsthatwouldtypicallybeseenasfeminine
activities.KamalathentellsherfatherthatifIwasaboy,youdletmegototheparty.This
sentenceledherfathertoyellatKamalaandexcuseheroutofthediningroom(Wilson7).
The
reasontowhyherfatherbecameenragedwasbecauseheexpectshisdaughtertostayfeminine.
ConsideringthefactthattheKhanfamilyisMuslim,theirexpectationsofgenderarestrongly
affectedbytheirreligion.Therefore,whenKamalastatedIfIwasaboy,herfatherbecame
angrybecausehebelievedthatKamalawasstrugglingwithhergenderidentity,whichcould
concludeinnegativelyaffectingtheirreligiousbeliefs.
Inthefollowingscene,Kamaladecidestostepawayfromherparentaladvisoryand
sneaksouttojointheparty(Wilson8).Bydoingthis,shebeginstoshowthereaderherthoughts
ongenderidentificationbyindependentlythinkingandstandingupforherself.Kamalathen
arrivestothepartyandanothergenderroleisportrayed.AboynamedJoshtricksKamalainto
drinkingalcoholbyclaimingthatitwasreallyorangejuice.OnceKamalafindsoutthedrink
includedvodka,Brunostepsintohelpout(Wilson10).Thisisseenasamasculineactbecausea
maleisusuallyexpectedtostandupforthecommonlymisconceptedweakerfemale.Kamala
thenreversestheserolesaroundbysayingIdontneedyourhelp.Imnotsomechild(Wilson
11).
Bysayingthis,thereaderdiscoversthatKamalaisbeginningtotransgressherexpectations
asshetransgressesheridentity.Thereasonthisissoisbecausethecommonideaofamale
aidingafemaleisconflictedasKamala'sgenderidentitydisruptsBruno'snaturalexpectationsof
awomaninneedofadominantmale.
Thisquotationleadstoastrongbuildupofequality
betweenbothgendersandsexes.

Beitdashtoo4
Derivingfromtheideaofequalitycomespower.Powercanbeseeninasenseoftwo
thingsphysicalpowerandemotionalpower.Physicalpowerisusuallyrelatedtostrengthand
masculinity.Thisideaiscontradictedinthebook
Ms.Marvel
becauseKamalagainsthe
attributesofphysicalsuperpowers.OnceKamalagoesforawalkaftertheparty,thesceneryof
thebooktransformsintoasmokyatmosphere.ShethenpassesoutandwakesuptoseeMs.
Marvel,IronMan,andCaptainAmerica,whoareallrepresentedasfaith,standingaboveher
(Wilson15).Acoupleofquotescanbeextractedfromthecomicwhichcanbeusedtocompare
bothphysicalandemotionalstrengthwhichderivefrommasculinityandfemininity.For
example,Ms.MarvelasksKamalawhoshe
wants
tobelike.KamalarepliessayingIwanttobe
beautifulandawesomeandbuttkickingandlesscomplicated.Iwanttobe
you
.ExceptIwould
weartheclassic,politicallyincorrectcostumeandkickbuttin
giantwedgeheels
(Wilson17).It
isquiteinterestingthatKamaladescribeswhatshe
wants
tobelikeinsuchdepthbecauseshe
explainsherideasofaperfectgirlonewhohasbothfeminineandmasculinetraits.
Inordertobethe
perfectgirl
shewishestobe,Kamalamustbeabletochangeherself.
Oncehersuperpowerscomeintofulleffect,shecanfulfillherwishes.Thebeautyofherabilities
arethatherpowersareextremelyflexible.Theflexibility,however,isderivedfromaliteral
sense.Kamalagainstheabilitytostretchandmodifyherbodyparts,alsoknownas
shapeshifting.ThepowerofshapeshiftingcouldberelatedtothearticleRethinkingWomens
Biologyfrom
ComposingGender.
Withinthearticle,RuthHubbard,theauthor,statesthe
normsanddifferencesthatsocietyobservesaboutwomensuchastheirheight,weight,and
strength(Hubbard47).Shealsostatesthatwhatwedoandhowourbodiesandmindsfunction
areconnecteddialectically.Thusnormsareselffulfillingpropheciesthatdonotmerelydescribe

Beitdashtoo5
howwearebutprescribehowweshouldbe(Hubbard47).Thisquotestronglyrelatesto
Kamalasabilitiestomorphintowhatevershepleases.Forexample.shemorphsintoatotally
differentpersonwhoisblonde,white,andbeautifulbecauseshewishestobeperfect.Duetoher
powers,shecanalsowithdrawandcompletetasksthatareseenasmasculine.Thisisproofthat
Kamalaisabletotransgressthroughdifferentgenderrolesdependingonthesituationsheis
currentlyin.Ifasituationcallsforafeminineapproach,shecanmorphandtransformherself
intoafemaleandactlikeaproperwoman.However,ifasituationcallsforamasculine
approach,Kamalacanmorphintowhatevershepleases,whetheritisapowerfulandstrongly
builtbodyoracourageousmindset.
SomemaysaythatKamalacannottransgressintodifferentgenderrolesassheisjustan
average,teenagegirl.AlthoughKamalahastheabilitytochangeintowhateverandwhoevershe
desires,shereturnstohernaturalselfbytheendoftheday.Oncesheisbackhome,shefinds
herselfbackinheraveragehouseholdsurroundedbyherstronglyreligiousfamily.Kamalafeels
tensionstrikeherwhenshetriestocompareandcontrastherhouseholdlifestyletoheroutdoor
lifestyle.Theextremistidealsofherbrothermakeitevenharderforhertounderstandwhich
genderrolessheshouldbeplacedin.Shehastheabilitytochangeintowhatevershewouldlike
tobe,howeversheremainsstuckandcritiquedbyfriendsandfamily,makingithardforKamala
tounderstandwhatshetrulywantsforherself.AccordingtothearticleHegemonicMasculinity
andBlackGenderIdeologywrittenbyPatriciaHillCollins,Maintaininganappropriately
femininedemeanorconstitutesanotherdimensionoftryingnottobelikemen(Collins234).
ThisquotationcanrelatetoKamala'sstrugglesinmanyways.Althoughshewishestobecome
perfect,strong,andcourageous,sometimesshefeelssheisnotfittoplaythepartofamore

Beitdashtoo6
masculinefigure.CollinsalsostatesthatWomencanalsoavoidthestigmaofbeingjudgedtoo
masculinebyavoidingsocalledmalecharacteristics.Womenareexpectedtodifferfrommen,
andthosewomenwhoprojectasubmissivedemeanorallegedlyreceivedbettertreatmentthan
thosewhodonot(Collins234).Thisideamaybecommonlyacceptedinsociety,however,
accordingtothebook
Ms.Marvel,
theresultofactingmasculineistheopposite.Inonescene,
Kamalauseshersuperpowerstostopanarmedrobberythatwasbeinginflictedonherfriend
Bruno(Wilson61).Shetriedactingmasculineandstoppingthecriminalactivityfromtaking
place,butwasshotasaresult.Brunoquicklypicksupthephoneandcallsthepoliceashe
simultaneouslytriestoaidher.ThiscontradictsCollinsposition,provingthatbothmenand
womencanreceiveequaltreatmentthatisnotdependentonone'sgenderroles.
Therefore,
genderidentitiescanbeswitchedwhichleadtochangesingenderroles.Thesegenderroles,
however,donotaffecttheequalityoftreatmentsandconsequencesthatwouldbecommonly
misconceptedtooccuronlytoonesexortheother.
Tobindthesetwothoughtstogether,societymustbalancetherankingofgenderroles.In
ordertodothis,genderrolesmustbeinterchangeablebetweensexestocreateanequilibrium
withinthethoughtsandidealsofallinsociety.RelatingtoKamalaandhersuperhumanlifestyle,
itispossibletotransgressbetweendifferentgenderroles.Shecancontinuetotransgressbetween
bothmasculineandfeminineidentitiesinordertodowhatevershepleases.Asaresult,sheis
highlylookeduponbysociety,thereforeshecanchangesociety'sviewsofgenderidentities.

Beitdashtoo7
WorksCited
HillCollins,PatriciaHegemonicMasculinityandBlackIdeology
ComposingGender
2014.
Print.
Hubbard,RuthRethinkingWomensBiology
ComposingGender
2014.Print
Wilson,G.Willow,AdrianAlphona,IanHerring,JoeCaramagna,SaraPichelli,JustinPonsor,
JamieMckelvie,andMatthewWilson.
Ms.Marvel
.N.p.:n.p.,n.d.Print

Beitdashtoo8
LearningResourceCenterSummary
OnOctober7,2015IvisitedthestudentLearningResourceCenterintheCSUNOviatt
Library.Ihadcreatedanappointmentafewdaysbefore,justtobesafeandtomakesurethatI
wouldnotforgettoreceiveguidance.Onthedayofmyvisit,Iarrivedtothelibraryabout15
minutesearlyandbeganfillingoutthegeneralinformationsectiononthepinkslip.Ithenwas
escortedtothetutoringareaandImetmytutor.OnceIwasseated,Iintroducedmyselfaswell
astheProgression2assignmentandbeganaskingforguidance.First,Ishowedthetutormy
originalthesisaswellasmyintroduction.Webothagreedthatmyintroductionwaswaytoolong
tobeaproperintro,sowecrossedoutsomesentencesinordertokeepitshortandsweet.We
thendiscussedthesubjectmatteroftopicsentences.Ibegantellingmytutorthedifferent
thoughtsandideasIhadinmindinordertokeeptheprogressionessayfullofdetailsand
information.Atfirst,Ihadexplainedmyideastothetutorbutwefeltthattheyweretoogeneral.
Wethenlookedoverthepromptagainandunderstoodthattheactualinformationandtopics
mustbespecificallyrelatedtoMs.Marvel,akaKamalaKhan.Onceweunderstoodthebasics,
wefixedupmytopicsentencesandhetaughtmethequotesandwich.Thequotesandwich
consistsofthreethings:Introducingthequote,Statingthequote,andanalyzingthequote.Asa
resultoflearningthissandwichprocedure,Ibeganincorporatingtheideaintomyactualessay
inordertokeepcredibilityaswellasdetailedinformation.Overall,thetutortaughtmewaysto
significantlyimprovemyroughdraftofmyessayinordertocreateapolishedfinaldraft.

Beitdashtoo9