C.J. Pascoe. 2007. Hey Dude, You' a Fag: Masculinity Sexuality High School. Berkeley: University California Press give overview reading, demonstrate understanding main arguments, raise questions comments. "Dude You're a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School" -- review and analysis

Cheri Jo Pascoe's 2007 book "Dude You're a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School" provides an intriguing view concerning homophobic attitudes and masculinity in high school environments. It is surely impressive to look at how two difficult terrains (high school and homophobia) are addressed in association to each-other and to how the writer concentrates on providing readers with a complex account about thinking present in most adolescent environments. The work does not only relate to generally accepted opinions about masculinity, as it provides new information and leaves readers wanting to know more by getting involved in this study themselves.

High-school students in the contemporary society are largely underestimated and the reality is that they have a strong influence on the social order. Gender and sexuality regimes have practically become institutionalized in high schools today and the masses have come to have a limited understanding of how adolescents perceive homosexuality. From Pascoe's perspective, teenagers are not necessarily infuriated with the idea of individuals putting across deviant sexual behavior, as they are inclined to discriminate people who express gender transgressions.

The word faggot is a very controversial concept in the present and Pascoe takes special interest in this term because of the confusion it often provokes. The writer emphasizes that heterosexuality has come to be an essential concept when considering masculinity. Apparently, in order for them to be able to take on masculine attributes, individuals need to focus on a heterosexual perception of the world and vice versa. According to Pascoe, society is inclined to promote the idea that in order for individuals to be successful and appreciated they need to employ heterosexual attitudes.

By presenting an event in the River High gymnasium involving two young men experiencing a self-discovery process as they go through a series of situations making it possible for them to understand that the key to happiness...

Two high-school students are part of a play that has them go from being effeminate nerds who can barely lift weights or protect their girlfriends to being strong, masculine individuals who wear clothes characteristic for men and who have little problems saving their girlfriends when the time comes (Pascoe 3).
Pascoe wants her readers to understand that educational institutes are probable to make it difficult for students to develop properly because they bombard them with information concerning generally accepted attitudes. It is not necessarily that society does not promote positive values, but the fact that some educational institutes attempt to instill a certain type of thinking in their students practically makes it difficult and almost impossible for individuals to discover their personal identity (Pascoe 28). Adolescents are vulnerable to being influenced because they are less experienced at filtering information. It is thus essential for society to devise environments where individuals can develop properly and in according with their personal interests. Society can actually be considered responsible for destroying people's identities in many cases, as many individuals refrain from expressing themselves freely because they feel that others might consider their behavior deviant.

A great deal of teachers is apparently reluctant to allow individuals outside of schools to confront students concerning their sexual identity. Moreover, it appears that many tutors in educational institutes consider that it would be safer to avoid talking about adolescent sexuality as they fear that this might reflect negatively on students. According to Pascoe (29), "in the United States, adults interpret adolescent sexuality as problematic and disruptive, as opposed to a normal part of the life course, they try to avoid inspiring sexual behavior by refusing to talk about it" (Pascoe 29).

Pascoe apparently wants her readers to understand that society has reached a point where the authorities are focused on providing individuals with the feeling that it is important to employ harsh attitudes toward people who put across gender transgressions. These people presumably confuse the general population and it is…