Hananeel T.
Rapanan Assessment 3
2022106937 MEDIA109 | Gender and Society
1. Which one of the poems put women in a disadvantage? Why?
Nancy’s poem in 1973 clearly disregards the hardships women go
through in their everyday lives, comparing it to men who, in my own
words, seemingly have a harder time and struggles with more weight
than that of the women population. Understandable that it was written
in the 1970’s, there is that outdated perspective for the women that
they should be controlled and need supervision, being marked with the
concept that they are vulnerable and fragile. This poem stereotypes
and categorizes men and women into their own lanes, that the world is
just a place of blue and pink, there is no in-between. In this sense, it
truly lessens the value of what women goes through everyday and just
opens up that the men have it harder, which is obviously not true,
especially considering at this day and age that there are no other tasks
that have more weight than the other, rather we do not look at it
anymore as if the individual boasts it as a badge of honor.
2. Which of the poems put men in a disadvantage? Why?
Compared to the previous poem, this now mocks the hardship men
goes through compared to that of the women. The author seemingly
did not change any of the struggles of women, rather they added two
more lines about them and something that strikes me is the fact that it
does not sound like a poem anymore, but a propaganda. A forced
perspective and mockery of men’s struggles, though validating that
Hananeel T. Rapanan Assessment 3
2022106937 MEDIA109 | Gender and Society
they benefit off of the women’s struggles and what they do in order for
men not to be put off the pedestal. In this way, we get to see the niche
of life for men, which is caused by the efforts of their counterparts, and
puts them to waste by enjoying it without any sort of consolation for the
women, treating them as low-class workers. That is why, contrast to
the previous sentences, it’s mockery of the enjoyed life of luxury of
men is put to shame and perfect for allowing the men to realize how
much all of their benefits and rewards are given because of women.
3. What does Bonino et al would like to emphasize on?
Bonito, along with their fellow authors, Leal, Lozoya, and Szil, wants to
emphasize that men tends to overexaggerate their roles that they
seem to place themselves on a higher level in which women cannot
and would not be able to reach, just because they’ve been stigmatized
and categorized to stay in their lane, of being the caretaker of the
house and simply a display of status in order for men to retain his
image or privilege. In this poem, they emphasized how men are so
pathetic if the women were not working for their own sake, and they
are only a byproduct. Unfortunately, it is a symbiotic relationship
wherein the male is the only one that benefits and does not exchange
their own skills, leaving only the women to work and be interpreted as
if what they are doing are for the sake of men.
4. Which of the poems is better challenging gender roles?
Hananeel T. Rapanan Assessment 3
2022106937 MEDIA109 | Gender and Society
Obviously, it is Bonino et al’s work. Because of their mockery and
humorous attack on the men’s comfort zone placed upon by women, it
gives them awareness that they too should have the mandatory and
the sense to give back what they receive for the women, and let them
relax for a change, and in that sense we reverse the gender roles into
“For Every Man, There Is A Woman…” In my opinion, it sounds a lot
better because even men can be the one that supports the women by
doing all their work for them, allowing the women to express
themselves and obtain their place among the men as well, not under
them, but as an equal. This would allow us, men specifically, how we
can still be challenged and it only took pretentiousness and
comfortability through the work of the women for us to change and
become a better representation of the society of males. Although, we
cannot invalidate Nancy Smith’s poem, it merely needs to be updated
because we’ve come to a point where it took us 50 plus years that
women too can also do what other men do, and sometimes even
better, and that is okay. While some men may be threatened, I think it
is considerably safe to say that even men who are in the workplace
community are proud to be able to work alongside a woman and thus
gives them equal footing, knowing that gender does not define the
status and the privilege of a person, but merely the show of their skills
and the dedication to rise above the challenge provided to them,
regardless of gender.
Hananeel T. Rapanan Assessment 3
2022106937 MEDIA109 | Gender and Society
5. How can we make the poem of Nancy Smith better? Explain thoroughly your
point or points.
Nancy Smith’s poem merely needs to keep up with the times, that it is
not only men we acknowledge that goes through the day and finishes
the day famished, fatigued, and needing a rest. Many of the women
today are even the majority of a working body, making up most of the
working force and is now considered to be an integral part of a system
that fully depends on the efficiency of the productivity of the people.
Something that I would like to change that is different from the take of
Bonino’s team is how the mockery of the men can be toned down,
instead of the attack on the masculine gender, it should expressed in
such a way that does not discourage them, but rather allow them to
see for themselves the struggles of the woman and how we, the
obligation of man, can be of help to them by offering ourselves as
support and a helping hand, if they need one. The important thing we
can emphasize on that is that they now have a choice, and that choice
is up for them, and up for the men, on what they want to do moving
forward. Either to stick to the past and refuse change, or start it
ourselves by stepping down and letting women feel the spotlight, and
for us not to feel what they had to feel, not to pity, not to look down on
them, but to encourage and strengthen them, helping them realize they
were always more than who they were before.
