Role of Men in Society - Essay Example

One perhaps never hears about a discussion or symposium on the subject, of 'Men-their role in society.' The discussion is always about women. The never-ending talk of giving equal rights to the female gender goes on but total equality is still far. A female child is victimized at every step of life, from the moment of birth, even though it is she who sacrifices at those steps. When will the female gender become the legal and spiritual equal of males?

     The facts mentioned regarding the female gender in the book “ Friday Night Lights” by H. G.  Bissinger are no exception to what is stated above. Traditional masculinity is evident in the story of the 1988 Permian “Mojo” Panthers football season. A superficial role is given to the Pipettes, who are senior high school girls. Hysteria prevails amongst football fans during the entire season, and each tournament is a do-or-die act for the members of the team. The Odessa community has a social structure that intensely favors the male. The football players are treated like royal princes.   

     How does the football tournament begin? Bissinger provides a graphic picture of the opening ceremony related to the match. He writes, “ Behind the rows of stools stood the stars of the show, the members of the 1988 Permian Panther high school football team. Dressed in their black game jerseys, they laughed and teased one another like privileged children of royalty. Directly in front of them, dressed in white jerseys and forming a little protective phalanx, was the Pipettes, a select group of senior girls who made up the school spirit squad. The Pepettes supported all teams, but it was the football team they supported the most. The number on the jersey each girl wore corresponded to that of the player she had been assigned for the football season. With that assignment came various time-honored responsibilities.”(p.45)

     The mention of 'time-honored responsibilities', indicates the subservient role of the female gender as per the societal norms. The girls had no part in the football game, and not one among them was directly connected to the game, except that they played the role of cheering the players. This is nothing but a subtle form of exploitation and assertion of the superiority of masculinity. The exploitation in another form was also prevalent and the players were entitled to some special entitlement, at the cost of Pepette. Bissinger further writes, “ As a part of the tradition, each Pepette brought some type of sweet for her player every week before the game. Some of the Pipettes spent as much as $100 of their own money to make an individual sign, decorating it with twinkling lights and other attention-getting devices.” (p.45)