Why does it matter if women’s appearance (or presence) is marked?
What will be an ideal response?
Being marked conveys a set of assumptions about someone. In the case of women, these assumptions present an obstacle they must repeatedly overcome in order to be viewed in the same way as men. For example, a female doctor who must constantly correct patients who mistake her for a nurse is likely to have to work harder than male doctors to convince patients that she is competent at her job. From a cultural standpoint, the idea that women’s appearance in general and also honorific (Ms., Mrs., Miss) are all marked perpetuates that cultural belief that a woman’s appearance and sexual availability are always relevant no matter what the social context. Marked and unmarkedness convey cultural ideas about normalcy, power, and meaning. This is a subtle but important way that sexism is perpetuated in society.
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What will be an ideal response?
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