Pulling the Trigger on Gender Roles

 Set somewhere around the 1940s, when women’s rights was on the rise, stands this photo with as much mystery as there is boldness. Based on the views and different things seen in present day society, it is almost impossible to believe that there was a time where women were unable to voice their opinions or hold positions equal to men. The lady pictured here, however, seems to be defying many of those cultural norms leading up to her time. Guns, which were dominantly thought of as an instrument used by men, were not the primary ornament of a lady. Even in present-day society, girls with guns are generally considered mannish or “butch”, and hardly lady-like or proper. I assume that is the very reason why the woman looks as uncomfortable as she does. The photo speaks of the changing roles for men and women in the time period surrounding the 1940s, or rather the conglomeration of men’s and women’s roles being applied to women due to the oncoming war. During the war, many women took on jobs that required the assembly of firearms, etc., forcing the social norms to be altered in order to accommodate the need for workers.

The woman in the photo emits mixed signals. Yes, at first glance the photo seems very relaxed and casual, but look further and you see that her jaw is set, legs and spine rigid: not at all nonchalant like the two gentlemen in the photo—a sign that she is uncomfortable with the image that she is portraying whether she desires to be portraying it or not. During times of change it is difficult to decide whether to stick to residual beliefs or succumb to the new beliefs that are climbing the ladder in society.

          The men, on the other hand, seem to be posing in a manner typical to all generations in their situation. Most men tend to become excited at the sight of a woman with a gun in her hands. Although I am unsure of the exact reason why this occurs, I am aware that most men act accordingly. Perhaps the reason lies within the fact that women are stereotypically defined as meek and subservient, while a woman carrying a gun, or performing any other masculine duty, is behaving outside the lines of social norms. Is it that men enjoy seeing a woman show her strength in various ways? Perhaps that will be a question that remains unanswered. Regardless, in this particular photo, two men are present—dangling at the sides of the rigid woman holding the gun, almost as though the gender roles have been switched. Usually, it is the female that you find clinging to the arm of her man with head on shoulder, or just behaving as though she needs him for support. Here, however, we see a “lady” in the center, with two men “clinging” to (or supporting) her.  No longer is the woman an ornament of the man, but the men have become the ornamental bookends of the female huntress.

          One intriguing observation to be made is the fact that, though standing seemingly at the edge of a field with gun in hand, all three musketeers are dressed as though they’re on their way to work or somewhere fancy. Never in my years have I seen a woman head out to hunt or shoot something wearing a blazer, skirt, and heels. Once, I had a friend stop her truck on the way home from church and go shoot a deer in her dress, but generally one does not prepare for such an event planning to wear a dress and heels. Men also have ceased to dress up for outdoor activities. Cabela’s would go out of business if men decided that suits worked just as well as their camouflage and orange. Not only do they bother with the clothing these days, but intense hunters must have a certain scent and all the right little gadgets that go along with the hobby. With that said, I can deduct that dressing fancy for a hunting/shooting excursion is now an extremely archaic practice that, I’m sure, most people would laugh to discover.

          The mystery that is so captivating in this photo is the look on the woman’s face. Defiance, fear, intensity, apprehension, determination—these are all words that run through my mind, but which is the true meaning of her stern expression? I know I’ve seen that look on the faces of women who are being mocked by men because of their supposed inequality in some field dominantly conquered by men. I have also noticed that, ironically enough, when a woman succeeds in that area despite pressures from social norms and expectations, however, men usually are the ones with the sheepish grins on their faces. Because of these expectations, I find that we as women tend to shy away from going after many of the things that we desire, whether they are set goals or jobs or whatever else. I suppose defiance, fearful apprehension, and intense determination are all things that could be read in the lady’s expression based on the pressures that she most likely felt which women continue to be bombarded with in the present.

          What is the main issue presented in this photo, or any other photo? I believe that the main issue is image. All photos ask these questions, “Who are we?” “With whom do we associate ourselves?” “How does our appearance affect the way we are viewed as individuals?”, and this photo is no different. Stance, posture, facial expressions, dress, and arrangement—these all welcome the viewer to examine and scrutinize those questions and form a personal opinion about the subjects therein.  At one point in the essay, “The Art of the American Snapshot”, the thought is stated that during this time period there was a great search for the “ideal image”.  As people became more aware of themselves and more timid of being out in public without the proper attire, the values of society changed considerably. Instead of not bothering as much with appearance when going out, say, to shoot some game, people began dressing their best even more than usual because of their awareness of the paparazzi.  With a fresh perception of the possibility of random snapshots being taken, individuals had to take much more care not only in what they wore, but how they walked and how they maintained their overall demeanor.

          A great example of how people wish to be represented in a particular way is scrapbooking. As Jessica Helfand mentioned in her essay, “What We Save”, scrapbooks are often discovered by others who have no previous knowledge of the individuals that coordinated them. Therefore, image and the proper portrayal of factual qualities are of high importance. Scrapbooks are made of pictures, correct? Assuming that that is correct, the pictures must entail a thought and planning, especially coming from the 1940s-1950s era. However, no matter how much one plans for a photo, emotions and insecurities always seem to show themselves. For example, the woman in the photograph appears to be strong, intense, unwavering; but as she is further examined, her look of slight fear and intimidation shows.  Bottom line: women are, by definition, the submissive creatures intended to support the man, and this photo captures (willingly or unwillingly) the subjects’ thoughts upon the matter. Whether a photo finds itself lost in the pages of a scrapbook fifty years later or wears it’s colors (or lack thereof) proudly on display, it screams about the situations, emotions, and relationships present  within itself.