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KeraleeBaldwin
ProfessorBeadle
English115
15October,2015
GenderStereotypesandExpectationsinMs.Marvel
Astereotypeisanimagethatisheldofapersonorthingthatisbasedoffofassumptions
.
Everydaypeopleallovertheworldarebeingstereotyped.Alongwithstereotypes,everyonehas
thepressuretoliveuptowhatsocietyexpectsofthem
.Althoughstereotypesandexpectations
willalwaysbepresent,itisimportantthatwestillremaintruetoourselvesevenwiththe
pressuresofsociety.AuthorsG.WillowWilson,AdrianAlphona,andJacobWyatt,showa
characterintheircomicseries,
Ms.Marvel,
whofacesgenderstereotypesandexpectations
beforeandaftershebecomessuper.Whatissoimpactfulaboutthischaracterishowshechooses
toremainwhosheisratherthanconformingtosocietysexpectations.
Afewwaysthatthese
stereotypesandexpectationswereportrayed,werethroughthecommentsofherfriendBruno,
andtheexpectationsofwhatMs.Marvelissupposedtolooklike.
Lastly,anotherwaythat
genderexpectationsandstereotypescanbeseeniseveninthebackgroundimagesin
Mrs.
Marvel.
Eventhoughthesearepresent,Kamalarealizesthatsheisperfectjustthewaythatshe
is,andthatnoonewillevercompletelyliveuptotheexpectationsplacedonthembysociety.
Kamalaisaperfectexampleofsomeonewhotriestheirbesteventhoughtheywillneverfulfill
thestereotypesandexpectationsplaceduponthem.
ThefirstincidentwhereKamalafacesgenderstereotypes,isaftershesavesherfriend

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Brunofrombeingrobbed.KamalalearnsthatBrunosyoungerbrotherisintroubleandthathe
needsrescuing.KamalatellsBrunonottoworryandthatshewillgoandsavehisyounger
brother.
Bruceimmediatelyshootsdowntheideasaying,Noway.Itcouldbedangerous.Ill
handleit(Wilson,Alphonaet.al.,74).
Whenshepointsouttheactthatsheisstrongerandhas
superpowersheadmitsthatherneedingtosavehimfreakshimout.

Shehastoovercomethe
genderstereotypeofbeingweakandneedingprotection.Eventhoughitisthemansdutyto
betheprotecter,KamalachosestobeherkindselfandtosaveVic.

Similartowhatistalked
aboutbyCollinsinhisarticle,HegemonicMasculinityandBackGenderIdeology,Brunois
showingthetraitsthatmenneedtobethedominantoneandnotshowweakness,sonowsince
Kamalaisstrongerandmorepowerfulthanheis,andthatfreakshimout.Acounterargument
couldbethathejustwantedtoprotectherbecausehecaresaboutherdeeply.
Thisisnotthecase
however,inthissceneheseesKamalabeshotandnothurtandstilltakesonthestereotypical
roleofneedingtobetheman.Sheevenpointsouttohimthatsheisstrongerandheagrees
thatsheshouldbetheonetofightbutheofferedtobecauseitfreakshimoutthatsheisstronger.
AnotherexampleofexpectationsthatKamalastillfacesisforhertolookandbelikeMs.
Marvel.WhenpeopleseeKamalatheywouldeverexpecthertobethenewMs.Marvel,why?
KamalaandMs.Marvellooknothingalike.Forexample,theoriginalMs.Marvel,Carol
Danvers,istall,thin,beautiful,andblondewithallthedesiredcurvesawomanshouldhave
basedonsocietysopinion.Kamalaontheotherhand,sheisagirlofcolor,aMuslim,sheis
short,andisnotverycurvy.AnexampleofwhatpeopleexpectwhatMs.Marveltolooklikeis
whenthepolicearriveattheCircleQ,whereKamalahadjuststoppedaburglary.Thepolice

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officerarrivedexpectingtoseeMs.MarvelbutwhenhesawKamalaheaskediftheywere
playingajokeonhimbecauseshedoesnotlooklikeMs.Marvel.Kamalaasksplayfullywhat
Ms.Marvelissupposedtolooklike,andhebluntlytellsherthatsheneedstobetallandblonde
withbigpowers.Kamaladealswiththisinaverycomedicandgoodheartedway,shethenjokes
abouthowshedoeshavebigpowersandsheenlargesherselftoproveso.
Thepolicemanthan
dismissesherasnotbeingMs.Marvelbasedonherlooks.Kamalaactuallyusedthegender
stereotypeputtowardswhatsheissupposedtolooklikeasasuperheroinordertohideher
identityandtobeabletoescapethesituationinordertoenduphelpingBrunosyoungerbrother
Vic.
AnotherexampleofwhenKamalacontinuestobeherselfdespitegenderstereotypesis
whenherfatherconfrontsheronhowsheshouldbeacting.Inthisexampleherfatheristryingto
encouragehertobeherselfandthatshedoesnothavetoliveuptosocietysharshstandards.
Herfatherthenofferssomeveryreassuringwordsandpointsoutsocietysexpectationsofher.
Hesays,Iknowthekindofpressuresonyounggirlsthesedayspressuretobethingsthatthey
arenot,anddothingstheydonotwanttodo.Idontwantthatforyou,beta.Notformyonly
daughter.(Wilson,Alphonaet.al.,92).InthisquotethefatheristryingtoencourageKamala
thatshedoesnotneedtoliveuptosocietysexpectationsandthatsheisperfectjustthewaythat
sheis.Kamalaacceptswhatherfathertellsher
andagreestobeherselfandtotrytoovercome
theexpectationsputuponher.
OnewaythatKamalaembracesherselfisinhernewcostume.
ThecostumethatKamala
startsinisquitetightandconsideredtobesexy.Insocietyitisnormalandevenencouragedfor

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costumestolooksexy.AnexampleofthisisduringHalloween.AccordingtoRosenbloom,
authorofGoodGirlsGoBad,foraDay,over90to95percentofourfemalecostumeshavea
flirtyedgetothem(168).Insteadofconformingtosocietysstandardsofneedingtobesexy,
sheembracesthemodestyofherculturesandbeliefsandmakesanewmodestandstillstylish
costume.
Hernewcostumeconsistsofwearingredunderclothesthatcoverherarmsandlegs,
heroldpurpleburkiniwithapuffypaintedyellowlightningboltacrossit,andcomfortableboots
forhertorunin.Kamalachosetobreakthisstereotypeofneedingtohavearevealingandflirty
costume,andinsteadjustendedupmakingherown
.

Kamalaisagreatexampletoshowhowone
canbecoolandstylishbybeingherself,insteadofjustwearingwhatsocietyexpectsandwants
hertowear.
Finally,theauthorsuseanexampleinthebackgroundasawaytoencourageKamalato
overcomegenderstereotypesandtobeherself
.Earlyoninthestory,whenKamalarealizesthat
beingasuperheroissomethingthatshecanaccomplish,thereisaposterinthebackgroundof
herroomthatcatchestheeye.TheposterisaparodyofthefamousRosietheRiveterposter
fromWorldWarII.Ibelievetheauthorsputthisin
Ms.Marvel
togivethesameencouraging
messagethatwasdisplayedbackthen.Intheoriginalpostertherewerefourwordswrittenin
boldlettersabovethewoman,WECANDOIT!
Justlikehowthisposterwasmadeto
encouragewomenthattheycanbeastoughasmen,itencouragesKamalathatshehaswhatis
takestobecomeasuperheroandsavepeoplejustlikealltheotherheroes.
Kamalaisnevergoingtoescapethegenderstereotypesandexpectationsplacedonher,
butshecancombatthemwithhowsherespondstothem.Afewwaysthatthesestereotypesand

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expectationswereportrayed
throughherfriendBrunobyshowinghowmenaresupposedtobe
theprotectorsinsteadofwomen,andtheexpectationsonhowKamalascostumeshouldbe
consideredsexytopleasesociety.
AlsoitwasshownhowKamalareactedandignoredsocietys
expectationsofherbyherbeingherselfwiththehelpfromherfatherwhoexplainedthatshedid
notneedtofollowsocietysexpectations,
andthroughsupportivebackgroundimagessuchasthe
imagethatresembledRosietheRiveter.
Eventhroughallofthestereotypesandexpectations
putonKamala,sheendsupembracingherselfevenmore.Thisisagoodexampletothosewho
alsofacestereotypesandsocietysharshexpectationstotrytonotconformandremaintrueto
yourself.

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WorksCited
Collins,PatriciaH.HegemonicMasculinityandBackGenderIdeology
ComposingGender
.
Boston:LeasaBurton,2014.222238.Print
Rosenbloom,Stephanie.GoodGirlsGoBad,foraDay.
ComposingGender
Boston:
LeasaBurton,2014.165169.Print
Wilson,Alphonaet.al.
Ms
.
Marvel
.
NewYork,N.Y.:MarvelWorldwide,Inc.LLC,2014.