James Fallows's 'Throwing Like A Girl'
In James Fallows’s “Throwing Like a Girl”, social and developmental issues surrounding the negative aspects of feminine behavior are analyzed1. Specifically, Fallows investigates athletic similarities and differences in men and women, referring to the common phrase, “you throw like a girl”. The phrase is a culturally derived expression, where common gender attributes are clearly differentiated between males and females, especially in childhood/adolescence. Feminists may challenge this phrase due to the negative connotation and tone it implies towards females in general. The phrase is associated with the inability to do things correctly and robustly. In reality, girls can throw just as good as boys. Like Fallows mentioned, it is to do with how
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For females, some examples include artistic activities, playing with dolls and make-up, chatting with friends for extended periods of time, and cooking. For males, examples include weightlifting, fighting/wrestling, fishing, shooting, cars/vehicles, video games, and building. These activities are not universally linked with each gender, but are merely social generalizations. Unfortunately, females gain more negative associations in society due to historical, sexual, and psychological factors. These factors force stereotypes on women based on sexual and social generalizations, such as immorality and annoyingness. I think Fallows satisfactorily answers the challenges made by feminists by presenting sufficient evidence for developmental suggestions and psychophysiological phenomena. Fallows evidently does not support the “throw like a girl” phrase, but claims that there is a fundamental reason why the phrase is used. He shows how throwing “like a girl” is simply the lack of experience and practice of throwing. This can be associated with any activity and is not gender dependent. I believe Fallows appropriately refuted the phrase’s stance and presented its lack of credibility, but did not address the reason why the phrase is actually used within society. This could be due to Fallows’s intentional focus on one aspect of the
For females, some examples include artistic activities, playing with dolls and make-up, chatting with friends for extended periods of time, and cooking. For males, examples include weightlifting, fighting/wrestling, fishing, shooting, cars/vehicles, video games, and building. These activities are not universally linked with each gender, but are merely social generalizations. Unfortunately, females gain more negative associations in society due to historical, sexual, and psychological factors. These factors force stereotypes on women based on sexual and social generalizations, such as immorality and annoyingness. I think Fallows satisfactorily answers the challenges made by feminists by presenting sufficient evidence for developmental suggestions and psychophysiological phenomena. Fallows evidently does not support the “throw like a girl” phrase, but claims that there is a fundamental reason why the phrase is used. He shows how throwing “like a girl” is simply the lack of experience and practice of throwing. This can be associated with any activity and is not gender dependent. I believe Fallows appropriately refuted the phrase’s stance and presented its lack of credibility, but did not address the reason why the phrase is actually used within society. This could be due to Fallows’s intentional focus on one aspect of the