Jeanelle Cruz

Sociology 01

March 19, 2017

Project 1: Video/DVD Analysis

The film I choose is Shes the Man. This film focuses on gender inequality found in

sports. The main character in this film is Viola Hasting, a teenage girl in high school whose

soccer team got cut from the athletic program. Hastings demands to play for the mens soccer

team, but the coach refuses to let any female try on for their team. An important scene from the

film was when the coach insulted the girls soccer team by saying, Girls arent as fast as boys,

or strong, or as athletic. It's not me talking, its a scientific fact. This insult made Hastings stand

up for herself, and find a way to prove that females could be as good in sports as men can. To

prove she could be as good as the boys soccer team, Hasting poses as her twin brother in the

rival school. She finally makes it to the soccer team and goes to play against the boys soccer

team from her previous school. Due to gossip, Hasting is asked to reveal her true self in the

middle of the game. After discussions between the soccer teams, she finishes the game as her

true self and scores a winning goal.

Auguste Comete introduced the theory of positivism, which focuses on how society can

be scientifically or statistically proven. From Cometes view I could see how he would assume

that having different gender teams in sports is important in society. That it could be proven

genetically that women are built to have less muscle than men, because women in history have

been the nurtures while men have been the providers. Emily Durkheim focuses on the structural

functionalism perspective which sees society as parts working together in order to create stability

and order. Durkheim will view the problem of gender inequality in sports as something positive.
Women have a role in society and men have another, and by having different roles is what makes

society work. Throughout the movie Hastings mothers struggles to change her daughters

attitude because she is not feminine enough for her. Durkheim would say that women are

supposed to be feminine and gentle, while men are supposed to be strong and powerful. By

having these roles society works, because they each take care of a role necessary in our society.

Functionalism perspective would say that we need women to take care of the things at home,

while the men do the providing. Karl Marx focuses more on the conflict perspective of

sociology, which states that conflicts between individuals show up when resources, power, and

status are limited. Marx would see this conflict between gender and sports as something bigger

than just a high school conflict. This conflict comes to show that men will do whatever it takes to

keep their power and dominance. Everyone in our society struggles every day to became

wealthier, to have more power, and resources. Throughout history men have always had privilege

and power over women. Now that things are changing and women as standing their ground for

equality it has made some men afraid to lose their power.

The paradigm that I see the most throughout the movie is the conflict perspective

paradigm. This film focuses on gender roles and inequalities. The main character Viola Hasting

struggles to break the stereotypes society has on women. Women are seen as weak, fragile, and

not smart enough. Therefore, are looked down upon when they try to compete against men. This

is seen in the workplace, the media, and in this situation sports. Since women are not seen as

athletic, they dont much attention from the media which causes them to be paid less than the

average male athletic. This relates to the conflict perspective because men have always had the

privilege and resources, while women struggle every day to get the same benefits. Femininity

and masculinity are also highly portrayed throughout the film. Hasting is looked down upon by
her mother and boyfriend because she doesnt act as feminine. She talks about sports all the time

and doesnt like wearing dresses. In a scene from the film while Hasting was speaking about

soccer her boyfriend made the comment of be a girl for 5 seconds, which shows the stereotype

of women not being good enough for sports. The gender roles throughout the movie show real

life conflicts, because when an individual doesnt show the gender norms that society wants them

to show they are discriminated. In order for society to accept them they have to follow the gender

norms that are associated to their gender. However, these gender norms come with stereotypes

which makes it harder for women to move up in society.