Chapter 5
Gender Box and Performitivity;
An In-depth Analysis of Gender Roles in YRKKH
Simone De Beauvoir famously said "One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman". Rooted in phenomenology, she goes on to explain how the fundamental source of women's oppression is its historical and social construction.
Butler takes this a step forward and coins the term 'Gender Performitivity' to explain that belonging to different sexes doesn't determine one's behavior or characteristics. Butler pointed out that based on history and society, people learn to fit into the society by performing certain acts over and over that it became the norm. These norms or rules became quintessential to gender identities. These accepted set rules of societal behavior is the gender box.
When the show depicts Akshara falling into the box, what we see is Akshara's gender conformity. She is the damsel in distress, weak and vulnerable usually considered as feminine qualities, and of course she is rescued by a cis-het man, always the savior. However do not be mistaken. This is a well thought out attempt at breaking gender stereotypes. They are taking the responsibility of breaking the gender stereotypes from the shoulders of women and placing it on men. Why should women have to do everything? Men should share equal responsibilities.
This is where Abhimanyu falling into the box becomes relevant. It's a representation of how men can be weak and vulnerable as well. Unlike Akshara he is not willing to show his weakness in the first instance, so he becomes grumpy clinging onto his conventional masculinity, but one look at the laughing Akshara he softens, smiles and is helped out of the box by her. With that one act, he leaves his conventional masculinity in the box and emerges as the post modern man. Akshara still is the damsel in distress, but Abhimanyu is not the definition of conventional toxic masculinity anymore because he cries, he softens for the love of his mother and lover, he becomes innocent like a child with vulnerabilities and incapabilities to deal with problems; characteristics conventionally associated with female gender.
Hence Abhimanyu here, is the postmodern man on whose shoulders the responsibility of gender equality lies in this show. I am concluding this chapter by reiterating that as emerging young women we should be grateful for such a male character who is the ultimate savior.
PS: I hope I am able to show justice in deconstructing this show. Please do share your thoughts.
Cricket
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