Adolescent boys are always portrayed in popular as lusting over girls, and having (or yearning for) sex. Movies such as Superbad show “playful” male banter where boys discuss sleeping with girls. Popular culture simply depicts male traits without fully questioning why they do these things. Why do they feel the need to hook up with lots of girls and have lots of sex? What is the root of the sexual behaviors that are attributed to boys?
CJ Pasco observed a high school in California to see how gender and sexuality play out in a high school environment. She found that masculinity was something that had to be earned. A boy could not simply be masculine because of he was born with male genitalia. He had to constantly prove he was masculine by displaying typical masculine behaviors. If a boy did not act “masculine”, he’d be called fag. Pascoe used the term compulsive heterosexuality to describe the behaviors and interactions that the high schoolers displayed. This term was based upon Adrienne Rich’s work. Rich stated that heterosexuality does not simply describe whom a person loves, but is something that affects every day life. Heterosexuality is ingrained in every day practices. It is the way boys use their sexuality in order to show that they have power over women. Pasco observed this behavior in three main ways; discussing sex, exerting physical power over girls bodies, and “getting girls”.
For the high school boys, it was very important to let other knows that they had had sex. Having sex was an activity that was deemed “masculine” therefore, all boys needed to have done it. If they let others know they were sexually inexperienced, they were derided for not being manly enough. Having sex was the ultimate masculine activity because it showed that they were definitely attracted to girls. It also showed that they had power over girls. If a boy had not had sex, he had to lie about it.
“Getting girls” is the term Pascoe used to describe the various ways boys would try to get girls to “go out” with them, or hook up with them. For boys, “getting girls” was an important masculine behavior. It proved that they were attracted to females (like having sex) and showed that they had power and dominance over girls. Girls were seen as objects that could be dominated. Boys in the high school thought that they had a right to a girl. If they desired a girl, they believed that they deserved the girl. If a girl did not repudiate a guy’s advances, she was considered a whore by the rejected male. The rejected male had to show that there was something inherently wrong with the girl, so that he could not be blamed for having the girl reject him. Being rejected by a girl was something that could threaten a man’s masculine status, because it showed they could not dominate and exert power over a female. Girls were frequently subjected to sexual harassment, due to guys feeling the need to “get girls”. They were kissed against their will, and often had provocative comments said while they walked down the halls.
Furthermore, guys had to show display their masculinity in the ways they interacted with girls physically. They did this by interacting with girls physically in ways that showed they were dominant. For example, one boy wrestled a girl. Another shook a girl’s head multiple times. These physical interactions displayed male dominance. It made girls helpless.
All three of the behaviors outlined above showed male dominance and female helplessness and passivity. A boy proved he was masculine by exerting power. Women were objects that boys used to exert power. Compulsive heterosexuality was constantly displayed at the Rivers High School. It belittled the status of the girls, while reinforcing male dominance. It was such a part of the culture at Rivers that sexual harassment was the norm. Male dominance and female oppression were seen everywhere in the school.
Superbad-even nerds participate in compulsive heterosexuality.
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