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- Đoạn thoại:
- The very mention of the gang’s name, The Forty Elephants, sent shivers down the spines of shop owners all over London. A mere glimpse of a member sent chaos exploding through a store, as cashiers and shoppers ran. But this fearsome gang wasn’t your typical pack of villainous men. The Forty Elephants was a young, all-female gang of thieves. They were called the Forty Elephants because they came from a part of London named ‘Elephant and Castle’.
Their most infamous leader was 20-year old Annie Diamond. Her gang called her the queen, but the police called her Diamond Annie, because she punched people with a hand full of diamond rings. The Forty Elephants carried out some of the biggest shoplifting crimes Britain has ever seen. Many said that they were tougher and faster than the strongest male thieves at that time.
The Forty Elephants aren’t the only group of people who’ve turned gender stereotypes upside down.
In North East India, there is a matrilineal tribe called the Garos. Traditionally, in this society, a woman proposes marriage to a man, but before accepting the proposal the groom-to-be is expected to run away. The bride’s family is then supposed to “capture” him and return him to his potential bride’s village. He then has another opportunity to accept or reject the proposal.
Many things that we might think of as naturally male or female, like certain colors, are products of social conditioning. We often think of blue as a color for a male, while pink is seemingly more feminine. But did you know that in 1918, it was concluded that pink was a stronger color more suitable for the boy; while blue, which was more delicate and dainty, was prettier for the girl?
Even the idea that women are more emotional than men is one that can change depending on the culture. In ancient Greek culture, men were expected to cry as a sign of true manliness to protect their family’s honor. That’s why in many Greek dramas and plays, the male character often sheds a few tears during the show.
In society there’s often pressure to be “manly” or “ladylike.” But I wonder how often we’re just trying to fit in with gender stereotypes. Have you ever felt trapped by gender roles? Can you remember a time when you did something (like wore a dress or joined a football team) just because it was expected of someone of your gender?
- Vocabulary:
- shivers
trembles; shakings; quivers
glimpse
brief look; quick peek
chaos
complete disorder and confusion
fearsome
frightening; causing fear
villainous
having a bad or cruel nature; wicked
infamous
having a bad reputation; well known for a negative reason
matrilineal
familial decent system which is traced through the female succesive line
groom-to-be
man engaged to be married
social conditioning
process of social training a person to behave in acceptable ways within the society
