The work place environment is often scrutinized to ensure that gender discrimination is non-existent. Although most corporate management ensures compliance by taking several measures to provide equal opportunity to males and females, statistics still show men are “dominating” the work place through means of upper management, pay scales, and upward mobility. Newman states “Gender…designates the psychological, social, and cultural aspects of masculinity and femininity…they cultivate it over time as they learn the cultural expectations associated with being a man or a woman” (Newman 53). The hegemonic representations of masculinity and femininity arise in males and females as they are growing up. This becomes prominent and evident in this episode.
Jan, of fictional paper company Dunder-Mifflin, from corporate holds a women in the work place day at the Scranton branch for the female employees. A casual round table discussion ensues, which is classified as “girl talk” by one of the employees. Answers to Jan’s questions by the employees are examples of the hegemonic views of femininity. For example, the women are questioned about their dream homes and the answer is quite uniform whereby most women want “walk-in” closets and good husbands. Further questioning revolves around materials and domestic issues, and the lack of diverse responses promotes a depiction of women as a culturally normative ideal. To Jan’s disarray she reveals her true intention of holding such event is partly to find women that can hold a corporate position and no female employee in the room meets the profile.
Jan is a woman and holds an upper management position at corporate. Her demeanor tends to be different from the other women and tries to exemplify herself. During the discussion Jan notes that the clothing reflects ones aspirations to be what they work towards. Another female employee, Andrea, thinks to herself that Jan’s want to be a “whore” although she is just wearing a fancy business suit. After learning of Jan’s recent divorce, Andrea is quick to question whether she had children and is relieved when Jan shakes her head. Furthermore, Jan to change the topic says woman should balance their personal lives and career. The women are uniform to answer that they are happy with the way they balanced their lives. These instances reveal how unconventional Jan seems to the women at the Scranton branch. Jan thinks very different and tends to focus more on a career and thus shows a counter-hegemonic representation. In addition, she demonstrates hegemonic views of masculinity in another scene where she threatens to fire several warehouse workers without hesitation or emotion.
The manager of the branch, Michael decided to hold his own guys in the work place day, as he wasn’t allowed to take part in the women’s day. He takes all the office men to the warehouse and says the warehouse workers do a real man’s work. Though quickly realizes the self-insulting statement, he claims office work is also “manly.” The office men and warehouse men sit together and Michael unsuccessfully holds a discussion about men as he ends up becoming targeted and insulted, and the guys have a good laugh. Michael believes that one part of hegemonic representation of masculinity is that of the warehouse worker but fails to see how his character actually disrupts that view. He feels intimidated around them and often gives in to their demands, lacking a key quality of a boss. The men in the warehouse feel they are dominant over the office men as they act more belligerent.
The men in their discussions show aggressive nature as well as an ambitious drive. They complain about the women in their lives and infer that they hold higher statuses than them. The discussion ends up leading the thoughts of unionizing, which the company won’t tolerate. Michael is basically forced to support them although he knows he shouldn’t. As the boss he must tell them they can’t do such, however he is too afraid and Jan reluctantly tells them. Knowing that his white collar position is higher than the blue collar (warehouse workers), he still fails to maintain his authority and thus unable to keep power. Michael does show signs of hegemonic masculinity by trying to fit his ideals of a man; however he more strongly shows counter-hegemonic representation.
These scenes suggest that people who enforce hegemonic representations believe they are acting correctly. James Lull states “Hegemony implies a willing agreement by people to be governed by principles, rules, and laws they believe operate in their best interests, even though in actual practice they may not” (Lull). Both the women and men in their respective discussions prove this point. Most of the women are satisfied with where they are and their lack of counter-hegemonic representation allows for the work place to continue giving them unequal opportunity. The men’s aggressive nature seems to disrupt work place ethic, where as Michael’s character seems unfit for his position.
Works Cited
Lull, James. Media, Communication, Culture: A Global Approach. New York: Columbia University Press, 1995.Newman, David. M. Identities and Inequalities: Exploring the Intersections of Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2005.
