This cartoon effectively captures many of the key points discussed in Chapter 13 of the book. The content humorously exaggerates a real issue discussed in the chapter about how communication reinforces gender norms. In the image, a pregnant woman angrily accuses a man of being a “male-identifiable oppressor” simply for asking if her baby is a boy or girl. Even though the conversation is somehow exaggerated, the exaggeration is used to reflect concerns about how society imposes gender roles even before birth. The chapter explains that gender is not purely biological but is constructed and reinforced through language and daily interactions.
I’ve personally experienced how assumptions based on gender shape the way people speak to me or expect me to behave. For example, when I order a strawberry acai refresher at Starbucks instead of an espresso, I would get called ‘ladylike’ by some of my peers. These labels, though subtle, carry social expectations that define how we are supposed to act based on our perceived gender. This cartoon and the reading both highlight the current cultural norms around gender identification and how important it is to be aware of the messages we send in spite of this culture, and how language can either reinforce or challenge cultural gender norms.

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