Dude, You're a Fag

In C.J. Pascoe’s book Dude, You’re a Fag, Pascoe looks at the lives of high school students at River High in a town she calls Riverton in north central California. Her analysis was of “fag” discourse in high schools and what teachers are doing to encourage heterosexism. She highlights a very problematic issue, one that stems back to Guyland- by now I’m sure you can see that everything that has the word trouble in it can stem back to Guyland- she looks at the word “fag” and what it means for masculinity. The word “fag” is used to relate someone who is un-masculine, and the students at River High describe that the term is the worst thing a guy can be called. Pascoe explains that the school is very receptive to heterosexual norms and reinforces them daily. She uses an example of a social science teacher named Mrs. Mac, who is a very popular teacher on campus, and has pictures of heterosexual couples at proms and formals all along the cabinets in her room. In an example to discuss how people have different laws in different states, she used the example of a twelve year old being able to get married, instead of discussing a very prevalent issue, which is homosexuals being denied their rights. The school does show a receptive to change, however small it may be. They allowed for the Gay/Straight Alliance to be formed on campus, although it’s members, whether gay or straight, are used as targets for those who like to use the word “fag”.

The word “fag” means gay, which means feminine. So when guys are called “fag”s, they have done something to appear un-masculine. “fag” is also used among guys when they are upset with one another or are joking, “Dude, you’re such a “fag”,” could be a phrase used by one guy who gets beat by his friend in a video game. It does not necessarily mean in this instance that the guy who lost the game thinks his friend is un-masculine; he is just upset at his friend and wants to insult him. “fag”, which means gay, is a huge insult to guys, it is one of the biggest insults that guys use. Instead of calling someone an asshole, which would be just as appropriate without putting any group of people down, they use “fag” because they know the word carries meaning. Pascoe describes an instance during her observations at River High where the school was throwing a creative arts craft fair and children from the elementary were encouraged to attend. At one point, a student ran through the halls shouting, “There’s a faggot over there! There’s a faggot over there! Come look!” (52). The children went over to where the boy was leading them to, and another student pursed his lips and started walking towards the young boys, swinging his hips. The ten-year-old boys ran back down the hallway, “screaming in terror” (53). This instance is problematic for a lot of reasons. To name just a few, it shows that the students of River High have a very limited view of what a homosexual acts and looks like, and they are passing their stereotypical views on to younger children. They also are teaching the young boys that gays are something to be feared. This is why you hear so many guys later in life say “I am okay with gay guys, as long as they don’t, like, hit on me.” They say this because of these stereotypical teachings they see earlier in their lives. Gay men are not overly sexual beings that jump on any man they can because they are desperate.

There was a student who Pascoe talked to who was described as heterophobic because of his harsh treatment by school administration, students, and other adults in his life. He was in the Gay/Straight Alliance and was a part of theatre. He sang and danced, and was often subject to ridicule. Dancing is seen as a sure way to get called a “fag” at River High. Due to his treatment, Ricky, the student, now had a negative view of heterosexuals, just like heterosexuals had of him, although his feelings were a bit more valid. It is just sad because a lot of these students who are running around shouting “fag” at their male classmates do not realize that they are representing the heterosexual community and have a responsibility to represent it in an appropriate way. Ricky also describes how he has been subject to a lot of personal questions by classmates, such as, “When did you know you were gay?” and “Doesn’t it hurt?” When I read this, I became infuriated because some of those in society feel since homosexuals are “deviants,” their punishment is to be poked and prodded like a lab rat. It is nice that students like Ricky, and Kurt from Glee, are able to be out in such an oppressive environment.

Pascoe points out a very interesting analysis about fag discourse, that it is fueled by gender and race. It is uncommon that a girl would be caught calling one of her friends a “fag”, or even using the word. The word carries weight mainly in the masculine society, whereas with girls, it is not an insult they feel they should use. Also, girls do not often call each other dykes to insult their femininity. The word “fag” is a very specific insult in the male world. The other interesting detail Pascoe points out is fag discourse is more of a racial attribute. A lot of white males feel comfortable using the word, whereas African Americans do not engage in calling one another “fags” quite as often. Instead, African Americans insult one another by referring to one another as “white.” Pascoe explains “Precisely because African American men are so hypersexualized in the United States, white men are, by default, feminized, so white was a stand-in for fag among many of the African American boys at River High. Two of the behaviors that put a white boy at risk for being labeled a fag didn’t function in the same way for African American boys” (71). So does white mean feminine to African Americans? Or is it just the lowest thing an African American can be called, the way “fag” is the worst thing a white male can be called?

Pascoe further points to girls at River High who were “out” lesbians were not taunted half as much as Ricky was. One out lesbian, who also played sports, was actually the prom queen. While the homosexual community is overall marginalized, it seems that there is a bigger acceptance of lesbians than gay men because men who are gay are not living up to the masculinity they should own. Being a lesbian is seen as cool and sexy, whereas being seen as gay is a betrayal to ones manhood. The athletic girls at River High wore basketball shorts, tank tops, sports bras, and tennis shoes and were still seen as popular because they do not have as much a responsibility to femininity to be a girly girl. The girls get attention, but not ridicule. While girls are expected to marry off someday and have children, it seems more of a crime for a guy not to fulfill society’s expectation of him. Conversely, if a guy, like Ricky, was on the dance team and wore a leotard to class because he had a recital that day, he would get called a “fag.” Girls are able, in this regard, to have more freedom with their sexual identity. This also shows further that women are seen as less important than men since they can essentially dress like guys and not get as much notice for it. The cycle must end.

In Pascoe’s conclusion, she explains that it is up to adults to “configure spaces that support youths’ variety of gender and sexual expressions. It is also up to adults to protect young people from the vicious teasing and harassment rampant in most modern high schools” (173). She is right. The adults in the schools are part of the problem, there needs to be a zero tolerance policy on using the word “fag.” If a student uses it, they should receive detention. More than three times, they should get in school suspicion. If more than five, a suspension, and so on. The parents need to be in support of these practices as well, so a change can be made. This word should never be used. Period. The only way it is being used is to hurt someone and make them feel like their differences make them less of a man.