Cross-dressing and Gender Performance

Unless we consider the occasional fictional example, contemporary females don’t have to masquerade as men to achieve their goals, as did the fictional Almira Paul. However, I do think that women in certain positions have to assume (stereotypically) masculine qualities, at least in their personalities and attitudes. We have a family friend who is a highly successful businesswoman, and she admits that at times her gender has been an issue. Women who climb to the top of the corporate ladder have to be more assertive, stronger-willed, and more vocal than society has traditionally expected them to be. While we accept that men are naturally competitive, women are more likely to be seen as the “peacemakers” given their nurturing nature. But in the business world, women have to take on that competitive edge. Even though we live in the 21^st century and like to think that we are above gender bias, a woman is sometimes viewed as a less capable leader when a man is up for the same position.

As far as men having to “perform femininity,” I can’t think of any great examples, but something that jumps to mind is the fashion industry. Doesn’t it seem that a disproportionate number of popular male designers are gay? I would not say that in order to succeed in that industry, a man has to take on feminine qualities; rather, I assume that a gay man’s sexual orientation simply predisposes him to have greater interest and talent in design. (So bad example, I know.) But it’s interesting to consider that our society still recognizes traditional male and female realms (for lack of a better word), and men and women who cross from one to the other often don’t fit the “traditional” gender mold.

Parents, teach your children well...

Charlotte’s parents are portrayed as saintly individuals—Mr. Temple is compassionate and philanthropic, and Lucy is a devoted daughter willing to sacrifice her own happiness for her father’s sake. Their marriage is based on love, which makes them unique given our previous readings. As parents, they are particularly affectionate and doting, to the point of throwing their beloved Charlotte a birthday party. Although she is distanced from them at Madame du Pont’s school, it seems that Charlotte’s parents are protective of her innocence. For instance, when debating whether to open Montraville’s letter, she comments, “My mother has often told me, I should never read a letter given me by a young man, without first giving it to her.”

With rakes running around, it’s understandable that Mr. and Mrs. Temple want to shelter their daughter. However, I couldn’t help but feel as I read the novel that a big contributor to Charlotte’s downfall is her naivete. She knows that she has a duty to her parents over (what she believes to be) love, but she is easily seduced into trusting Montraville’s false promises and “renounce[ing] a tender father and mother.” Yet I wouldn’t necessarily put the blame for Charlotte’s fall on her parents, because they simply acted in line with societal norms. In our recent magazine readings, we have seen numerous portrayals of weak, susceptible women, and I think that Charlotte was a product of this pervasive societal viewpoint. The primary blame for her fall should go to the rakes Montraville and Belcour, as well as the evil La Rue, but Charlotte seemed predisposed by her society to play into their hands.

I think that parents today—just like Mr. and Mrs. Temple—instinctively want to protect their children. But our contemporary society demands a different approach. I once knew a family who almost went to extremes (by today’s standards) to shelter their children. The kids were not allowed to watch television or movies, were home-schooled, and didn’t participate in many activities outside of church. But it was mentioned in class that even when you shelter your child, there’s no guarantee that they won’t rebel as soon as they’re old enough to get a taste of the real world. So I think that most parents today are more concerned with raising their children with the right values—equipping them with the ability to recognize right from wrong—than shielding them from all outside influences. Parents provide their sons and daughters with a solid foundation and hope that they make wise choices based on that. After our discussion of Charlotte Temple, I would say that allowing teenagers to actually make decisions is particularly important.