The Family Christian Stores

     I am new to the Augusta area, and I spend most of my time at the shopping center down the street from my house. The area is visible in the map above. In this shopping center there is a Target, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, 2 christian stores, Hobby Lobby, etc. If I'm not at school, work ,or home, chances are I'm at this shopping center. I found it only fitting that I complete my Social Location Project in that area. It was difficult to find examples of the key terms that we had not already discussed in class. I was inside Target for hours before I gave up and went to the next store. Naturally I was drawn to the Family Christian Stores out of sheer curiosity. I just wanted to see if I could find examples of heteronormativity and sexism there. I never intended to find these terms at work in this store, after all it is a CHRISTIAN Store!!!

     The Family Christian Stores is where I go for all of my religious needs; be it a devotional, a bible, a study bible, or what have you. This store is one of the few places where I can go that is  God-centered in every aspect from their books to their movies. In essence, this store is like my lighthouse. It is a neutral, unbiased zone for the entire family. I thought this would be the last place that I would find any of the key terms listed in the paragraphs to follow. As a result, I took it as a challenge to find demonstrations of terms like sexism and patriarchy at work in this "neutral-zone". With determination and doubt, I headed into the Family Christian Stores (FCS).

     

     I admit that at first it was difficult to find examples of such negative terms like sexism, patriarchy, and the like, because I have such a positive opinion of this store. I definitely had to look at my surroundings through a pair of lens that I have never used before. In the end, it was truly eye opening to see that even Christian stores are a source of oppression and marginalization. 

     I wondered: "What can I do to change the issues I identified below? After all I'm just a customer, what power do I really have?". As a college student, I definitely know the value of a dollar. As a citizen in a society that is categorized by social class, I know that money has power. As a consumer, I have come to realize that I participate in an oppressive and discriminatory system by offering my money to this store. By simply exchanging goods, I have turned a blind eye to the exclusion and sexism that I experienced in the FCS. I am basically paying them to oppress and marginalize those identified as "others" in society.

Jesus: White like You, Not like Me.

     If I were white, I would be sure of quite a few things. If I go inside of Sephora or any cosmetic store, I would be sure to find a wide variety of makeup of which I can choose one to match my complexion. If I go to the mall, I will see mannequins that look like me. I could go inside of a store and find people who are white like me on magazines. I can go to any gift shop and find greeting cards with white faces on them. Without a shadow of a doubt, I could go inside any Christian store, and find a white Jesus. If I were white, and had kids who were white, they would know for sure that Jesus is white just like them because that is what he is most commonly and incorrectly portrayed as. These unearned certainties that white people encounter on a daily basis are called white privilege (McIntosh,1988) . The collage of photos above illustrates white privilege in that every Jesus I found was white.

     I walked around FCS numerous times thoroughly looking everywhere, and I did not find a Jesus portrayed as any other color but white. The majority of the figurines (besides Mary and Joseph) in the store were portrayed as both white and black. For every white angel, there was a black angel in the "African American Art" section. (Yes, FCS had a section of heavenly black figurines separated from the white figurines!) Even the Archangel Michael had a black equivalent for the white figurine. But for the people of color, there was no Jesus of color.

     The previous paragraph brings up another issue concerning white privilege. Why is there a section labeled African American Art, but the section of white figurines is not labeled at all? If I were white, I would not have to worry about a section being titled "Caucasian Art". It is as if having white biblical figurines go without saying, and there is no need to label that section. This reinforces white as being the norm and everything else is in need of being labeled to give it meaning and purpose. Once again, people who fall in neither of the "either or" categories are marginalized as well. This privilege system produces dominance, exclusion, and discrimination based on race (McIntosh, 1988). 

Gendered Bibles in 366 Days

     Looking at the photo above, we have two books for children that allow them to read the bible in 366 days. One of the books is for "guys" the other book is for "girls". What makes one book for girls and the other for guys? It appears to be the color and minor graphic changes that signify the difference. One is pink and the other is blue. One book has a flower and the other has a cross on a torn pocket. These subtle differences are what Judith Lorber would call gender markers (Lorber, 277). In this bible, is a social pressure to conform to a gender identity based on one's sex. From these bibles, girls are taught to like pretty pink, and flowers, and swiggles; boys are taught to like dark blue, rough and square objects. These differences are stereotypical associations with genders and they far exceed the outer appearance of the bibles.

     Out of curiosity, I flipped through the pages of the bibles to see if there were any more differences. I did not have to flip long. In the picture above, we see differences in the titles and small differences in the text. While talking about Noah's preservation during the flood, the girls are told that "God Takes Care of Noah", while the boys are told that "The Good Guy is Saved". The difference in verbiage in these two titles teaches girls a nurturing behavior and boys are taught to be engaged in action. In talking about the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit, the bible for the "guys" included an additional line that spoke of flaming swords that protected the tree of life. In talking about the creation of Eve, the "girls" bible titled the page "The Perfect Woman".
   
     Just by reading this bible, children are actively and unknowingly engaged in a process that forces them to learn normative behaviors that is associated with their respective genders. The girls are being exposed to what femininity is and the guys are being taught what masculinity is. In other words, this bible is a representation of the social construction of gender. Children are placed in this "either or" gender status and thereafter they are held to "gendered norms and expectations" (Lorber, 278).

     By placing children in normative categories, the bibles exclude those who do not identity with the social constructions of gender. The girl who identifies as a boy, likes the color blue, but wants to be called a girl is excluded. The boy who identifies as a girl, likes the color pink, but wants to be called a boy is excluded. This exclusion surpasses the two bibles on this shelf and is present in numerous aspects of society. Because of these social constructions of gender, numerous in society are marginalized and numerous  "girls and guys" are being taught social norms concerning gender.

A Man's World

     In spite of all the racist and sexist controversy surrounding Duck Dynasty in recent months, the show managed to have its own section of books in the FCS. No show or set of books better represents patriarchy than the Duck Dynasty. The show and a majority of their books on this shelf are male centered and male dominated. At its core are men, and according to the books at the top of the photo, women are "behind the beards". The women watch the kids, cook the dinners, and are dependent on the men who are the bread winners. The women are portrayed as caring, subordinate and cooperative according to the description on the back of the books. The men are described as patriarchs, strong, and adventurous. The men and women of Duck Dynasty (based on these books) participate in a patriarchal culture. The women are beautiful, the men are tough; the women are vulnerable, the men are protective. In this culture, masculinity and femininity and the respective characteristics of each are simply nature (Johnson, 1997).

Men Build Houses. Women Clean Houses.

     I went browsing through the books at the FCS, and it did not take long for me to notice the difference in books designated for men and women. The photo above shows three books from the men's section and three books from the women's section. In the column of books to the right: women are portrayed as being consumed with their outer appearance (top), the juggler of home duties including cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and pet sitting (middle), and as "bad" with a hint of sexual seduction as the backside of a woman is shown with her finger lingering the letter "s" in the title (bottom). On the other hand, the books to the left appeal to men: they are portrayed as strong, fighters, and concerned about "man stuff". According to the outer appearance of the book, this  "man stuff" is in no need of explanation.

     These photos not only represent the social constructions of gender and patriarchy, but they also depict gender inequality. Gender inequality is when women are devalued and men are in positions of control and domination (Lorber 282). Sexism is a mechanism of gender inequality in which women are stereotyped and discriminated against. In these photos, women are reduced to the stereotypical housewife, concerned about her appearance, while men are the manly game changers. While the photos show that there is value in the work that women do, it also shows that it pales in comparison to what a man can do.

The Path of Least Resistance

     The photo above is an excellent example of choosing the path of least resistance. Normally standing behind the pulpit is a duty commonly ascribed to men. At the FCS, they are showing two minorities in the greater picture (black male, white woman) and in the smaller pictures beneath the photo, there is a large amount of diversity in representing those who preach the gospel.
     In using this photo, the socialization of who typically performs this duty is denied. This representation is not the status quo (Johnson, 1997, p. 82). As a result, FCS is choosing the path of least resistance.

Mr. and Mrs. : The Only Love Worth Celebrating

     Family Christian Stores made it very clear that there was only one love worth celebrating, and that was the love between a Mr. and Mrs. This is not just through the gender identity of each individual in the couple, but also the sex of each individual in the couple. Every photo has a man and woman. The collage of photos above not only represent white privilege, but it exemplifies heteronormativity and heterosexuality.

     The FCS are not just for adults, but for children as well. Everyone who views this section of the store see the smiles, the gazes, the love, and romance between these cross- gender couples. This is repeated in many facets of life, from these photos to the movies we see on TV. The relationship between a man and woman (heterosexuality) is what society sees most of the time. Consequently, we perceive it as normal, and there is no need to acknowledge that any other type of love exists  (Martin, Kazyak, 2009). I understand this is a Christian store, but it is never acceptable to exclude or ignore the existence of what society considers to be nonnormative.

I am a Woman. I am Black.

     If society were a totem pole white men would preside at the top. Right beneath them sit white women. They would be followed by black men. At the very bottom lies the black woman. Unlike the privileged white male, the white woman oppressed by gender, or the black male oppressed by race, the black woman is persecuted by both race and gender. As a result, the black woman is either excluded or falls prey to the stereotype of both being a woman and being black. As a result, my experience as a woman of color is influenced by both racist and sexist events (Crenshaw, 1959).  I admit, finding an example of intersectionality at play in the FCS was difficult. But as I opened my mind, I began to see things I had not seen before.

 
     The picture to the left above shows two of the many figurines inside the FCS. One is a black angel and the other is a black child. The photo above and to the right shows a white angel and mother Mary. The black angel is shown with fairly large breasts. She also has hips. The black child is almost like a caricature of black girl. She has a wide nose, full lips, and large cheeks. On the other hand, Mary and the angel have no obvious breasts, no hips, their clothes fit quite loosely, their nose is slender, and their lips are thin. Even the archangel Michael in the photo from my post on white privilege does not have full lips and a wide nose. So why is the black woman portrayed as such?

     After looking at the breasts, hips, and lips I feel that these black figurines are more sexualized than their counterparts. These figurines portray the stereotypical exotic features that have become synonymous with women of color.

 

A Moment to Reflect

     I found my social location project to be quite interesting. I did not expect to find representations of the key terms at the FCS. By looking at the store through a new lens, I am more aware of just how social constructions of gender and intersectionality of race, class, and gender are at work in my environment. I have come to look at many places that I visit through new eyes and I relate what I see to others to increase their awareness. I have come to realize that inequality resides everywhere. It is entangled in the history of society and has become the norm. It is normal to marginalize aspects of society that does not fall into a binary category. A person is either a woman or a man. If they do not fall within either of those categories then their existence, and in turn their struggle, is ignored. A person is either black or white. Those who fall within those shades of gray are ignored. The only way to make inequalities minimal or obsolete is to take the path of least resistance. It is so easy to reap the benefits of being white, cisgender, heterosexual, etc. But what those who reap the benefits fail to see at times is that they too are participating in an oppressive system by doing nothing to eliminate the oppression of others.

     In my social location, I saw a lot of inequalities. Some solutions are simple, but other solutions (i.e. solving the social constructions of gender) require us to look outside of the FCS and at society as a whole. Simple solutions include:

·        * Have a more diverse selection of Jesus portrayals. Instead of having just a white Jesus, have Jesus       portrayed as individuals from other cultures.

·       *  Instead of separating the black figurines from the white figurines, display them mingled together.

·      *   Ensure that all love is portrayed and cherished. Love should not be limited to just certain races and     love that represents heteronormativity

·     *    Figurines of color should not be sexualized because of their race, and should not be a representation   of stereotypes.

References

Crenshaw, K. (1993). Intersectionality and identity politics: Learning from violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review, 43 (6).

Johnson, A. (1997). Patriarchy, the system: An it, not a he, a them, or an us. Temple University Press

Kazyak, E., Martin, K. (2009). Hetero-romantic love and heterosexiness in children's g-rated films. Gender and Society, 23 (3), pp. 315-336.

Lorber, J. (1994). The social construction of gender. Yale University Press

McIntosh, P. (1988). White privilege and male privilege: A personal account of coming to see correspondences through work in women's studies. Wellesley, MA: Wellesley College.