White Chicks Stereotypes

Learning Activity Paper “Performing Gender in the Movies”

Gender is portrayed in many ways by the expectation of the society and sexual identity is expressed in the performances of the gender. In the 2004 comedic film, White Chicks, many stereotypes have been presented regarding gender and sexual identity. When talking about men and women, we tend to think of masculinity and femininity. This film emphasizes these major depictions of female and male sexuality and how these genders perform and interact with each other.

In the movie, two African-American FBI agents, Kevin and Marcus, have gone undercover, disguising themselves as two sisters, Tiffany and Brittney Wilson. Kevin and Marcus attempt to take hold of the drug cartel and so, they

are assigned as chaperones of the two sisters from the airport to the Hamptons, an upper-class, white-society weekend function. As the agents approach the two sisters, the girls remark them by saying, “We already gave to the United Negro Fund,” (White Chicks, 2004). After the real introduction is done, the sister’s treat them like servants and being very careless towards them. During the drive, they are faced by a minor car accident, which lead to little scratches on the sisters’ faces. The sisters refuse to go to the Hamptons, so Marcus and Kevin decide to go to the Hamptons themselves by wearing white skin, blond wigs, huge fake breasts, miniskirts, and high heels, and having a “girly” accent, impersonating the Wilson sisters, representing a stereotype of the physical appearance of American women, and being portrayed as the expectation of the society. This type of clothing identifies how a woman must look like and dress, sexualizing themselves to be feminine. Marcus has a wife named Gina, who is acted out as a jealous and suspicious character, thinking that her husband has an affair with some lady, which is actually Kevin in disguise. This stereotype shows how much women value being in a secure and tight relationship with men.
Through the entire film, the friends of Brittney and Tiffany Wilson, try to be popularized and discuss how female characters are to portray themselves as in the eyes of men.

The Vanderberg sisters try to compete with the Wilson sisters throughout the film to increase their popularity and attractiveness toward men. The friends of the Wilson sisters at one point try to practice on a sex toy to be “fluent” in their job with their partner. The film overexpresses the message that females need to act too smart or too silly to be attractive. This is the concept of men, “masculinity,” holding the power over women. The females look up to “ideal” women, such as JLO and celebrities and try to be like them. The film also shows how male characters disrespect women and have negative comments about their character. The textbook, “Women’s Voices, Feminist Visions: Classic and Contemporary Readings,” by Susan Shaw and Janet Lee states, “To be a man is to not be a woman. Weakness, softness, and vulnerability are to be avoided at all costs,” (125). Women have been looked down upon and this is what makes men feel they have the entire control and power over feminism. For example, at the event function, women are bidden off to men for a date. One of the men, Latrell, a basketball player, is appeared as very masculine, strong, tall, and broad. He is attracted to Tiffany (agent in disguise) and puts in, “Now that’s what I’m talking about. A white girl with a black girl’s ass,” (White Chicks,

2004). He sees the whiteness and the black female body features in Tiffany. This calls attention to the fact that skin color is an important factor in the physical appearance of a partner. When women are bidden off, they are considered as an award to men, becoming an object rather than being displayed as a human being. Even the physical appearance of a gender can fool others. For example, in the film two guys came to the girl’s slumber party night and Tiffany and Brittney thought the guys were kidnappers because they wore all black and didn’t seem like “strippers” once identified.
Male gender role has played a significant role in this film and in reality. Not all men are willing to express their sexual identity to the public. Masculinity is “composed of ambition, confidence, competence, and strength” (Shawn & Lee, 126). Latrell makes a remark saying, “You know what they say, once you go black, you’re gonna need a wheelchair.” Basically, he states that he has power and strength, stereotyping his black sexuality. He tries to drug Tiffany into staying with him over night, but accidentally he and one of the party boy, Russ, gets drugged, and have sex with each other. The next day, Russ is seen on a wheel chair and Latrell lays a hand on Russ’ shoulder, passing on the message of keeping your mouth shut. This type of behavior and homosexuality isn’t accepted in that society. Their faces are shown of guilt and shame for such an act. Towards the end of the film, both Kevin and Marcus are discovered and the real Wilson sisters lead off with Latrell.
Femininities and masculinities are performed by genders repeatedly and we view it as a natural behavior.

Shawn & Lee state, “…gender is the way society creates, patterns, and rewards our understandings of femininity and masculinity, or the process by which certain behaviors and performances are ascribed to ‘women’ and ‘men’…” (116). Basically, femininity and masculinity are socially constructed, meaning they can be changed any time by the power of society. This is how characters learn and perform ender. Mostly, they look at whom they favor mostly. Usually, celebrities and icons are their “ideal” inspirational leaders. As discussed, the film has shown many ways that race has intersected with gender. The physical appearance, skin color, and gender behaviors has interlaced with how they are portrayed in the eyes of others. “Gender is not only what we ‘do’; it is what we ‘are’ or ‘become’,” (Shawn & Lee, 117). How we become and “do” a specific gender is shaped by the ideas of femininity and

masculinity.
I have seen many situations in life in which people follow up to either feminism or masculinity. Especially, young teens try to look and act like celebrities. The physical appearance of someone also makes you judge their character quickly. If one is seen to wear old and worn out clothes with glasses, you tend to stay away from them. Those females who wear fancy clothes, have larger breasts, wear makeup, and those males who are tall, broad, strong, and fancy-looking are popular. People are also judged by their race and color. Blacks are named disrespectfully while White’s are seen very mature and respectful. Everything is just how media shows the ideal feminist and masculinists, and how it shapes the lives of each person. The film, White Chicks, has portrayed throughout how men and women interact with each other, how women are treated, and how men are the stronger, powerful ones. Women have been seen as objects by men since the past, and over time, as the social and economic power of women have risen, men have become more sensitive and vulnerable to the contemporary women.