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asilverjackal · 6 years ago

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What defines masculinity to Salvatore? Being able to protect and defend those you love. Being a leader. And being strong, both in a physical and mental sense. This strength overlaps into his ideologies about being able to protect those close to you, and that those close to you do not need to see you being emotionally weak.

As an old man, he continues to have these beliefs. But, these ideas are watered down, not extreme as some would execute them. However, traits explicitly stemming from toxic masculinity have resurfaced at multiple points in his life.

During his childhood, Salvatore failed to comprehend social constructs. For example, he had the privilege of babysitting some children in his area until he reached a certain age and (female) parents did not want him to be in a role that was allegedly better fit for girls. He also didn’t understand when racial bias was being implicated, with situations occurring such as having a non-white friend only to hear people in his neighborhood go, ‘we’re closing early today,’ ‘we don’t have what you’re looking for.’ For so long, Salvatore just thought he and his friend would come by on bad days. Now ironically, Sal had a knowledge of the implications that came with being a boy. You had to be strong. Right off bat. No questions asked. Then, as a teenager (12-16 particularly) is when more traits resurfaced. He was emotionally constipated during these ages, which would surprise a lot of people who know how he is now. Show less emotions, don’t wear your heart on your sleeve, those you think are your friends will exploit your weaknesses. And Sal, wanting to be a leader, cannot seem like he can budge from his standing. He also was not friends with girls at this age simply because he felt uncomfortable around them, but one has to wonder - are the bonds he made with other boys really authentic? Then, his mother is murdered. And Sal is depressed in a way words cannot begin to describe. He says he’s fine! He genuinely believes that he is fine both because he and his mother did not have the best relationship and beyond that, his ‘great’ way of handling her passing becomes a mask he has to wear day after day. But he’s sad. He’s angry. He wants to avenge her although that man had been escorted to prison. Also, he’s thrust into a new life. His aunt seems apathetic to his needs. And beyond that, Sal genuinely feels alone because men do not talk about their problems. Although he spends the night with a lot of neighborhood boys, he can frame it as because his aunt’s a bitch. His aunt is the comedic punching bag that can keep him from exposing the true extent of his woe. So of course, Sal’s depression further grows. And that depression is not being sullen, withdrawn, and quiet: he’s on the go, he’s getting into things he has no business in, he’s ‘play’ fighting which eventually transitions into boxing. So here is another masculine ideal: sports are good. Sports are an outlet for anger. Over time, Sal has seen women as people capable of being intimate and vulnerable with. His first crush (a girl with a name he cannot remember in the present, it’s been too long.) was someone he felt connected to. She was abused with bruises to prove it. He had the same marks on him. They behaved very similarly although, she was much more open and physically affectionate - like, literally throwing her arms around him in greeting, giving him a slobber infused kiss - because girls do not live up to the standards of masculinity, Sal subconsciously felt more secure spending all his time around her. For them to be different sexes did not play a role as to why he was so taken with her, either. They just genuinely mashed well and he was sad when she exited his life. However, her entire presence caused Sal to be more loose, and continue to be little non-traditional in his mindset. Just enough to not internalize any homophobia. Next comes Delores when he’s an adult, who he gradually became open with due to his overwhelming, constantly growing affection. Similar to his childhood crush, she felt safe to confide in. Looking at her past the sexual standpoint, he wanted to spend all his time with her. He wanted to protect her. However, it wasn’t until much later until he felt she was safe enough to cry in front of. Because, y’know, Belle died. And prior to this, Salvatore had been trying to cope through violence and self-medication outside their home. He managed to heal beyond this though. But not fully. Toxic masculinity can cause feelings of emptiness in the sense one must eventually wonder, ‘who am I?’ beyond being the tough guy, the winner, etc. Sal, having pursued respect via leadership, material, and death does indeed feel empty. Had he not focused so hard on those particular things, he feels he would have gained a more fulfilling life with his loved ones. Now, to be a Don requires him to maintain the image of an old Italian man that does not take shit. And he can bare his teeth, he can be threatening. He can still wear a mask. But being sixty-five years old, Sal can chill more in the presence of civilians and close family. Rather than saying fuck the mask, he excuses this behavior through his favorite quote,

“If people did not sometimes do silly things, nothing intelligent would ever get done.”

#( WHO ARE YOU SALVATORE. / HEADCANONS. )#the longest headcanon i have EVER written. but i like...felt compelled to.

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ralphmorgan-blog1 · 6 years ago

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The women standing up for science

The female winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics has criticised a senior scientist's comments that physics was "invented and built by men" as "silly". But what do other women in science think?

Dr Donna Strickland became the first woman in 55 years to win the award shortly after the remarks by Prof Alessandro Strumia, who worked for European nuclear research centre Cern, emerged.

He has now been suspended from working with the centre.

Image copyright Richard Grant

Skip Twitter post by @JennyRohn

It’s damned difficult to do great science when you’re always navigating the minefield of bias and disregard, the expectation that you must make the (psychological) tea; when asserting yourself makes you a bitch - even getting a word in without interruption can be a challenge

— Jennifer L. Rohn (@JennyRohn) October 1, 2018

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Jennifer Rohn, 50, a British-American cell biologist at University College London (UCL)

Getting into it: I can't remember a time when I didn't want to become a scientist. I was voted "most likely to become a scientist" in high school. I was unabashedly geeky and read lots of books. I grew up with no role models in science and was not aware of any famous female scientist. I didn't even meet a scientist until I went to university.

What are you working on? I got tired of the abstract and wanted to work on something that would make an impact. I'm now working on a cure for urinary tract infections. It's the most common reason in the UK that an antibiotic is prescribed - and the most common infection in elderly people, yet few studies have been done on it.

Currently antibiotics can't reach inside the bladder so we are using nano-technology to create little particles of antibiotics that can go inside the bladder wall. We're hoping clinical trials will start late next year, and a cure could be available quite soon afterwards.

Prof Strumia's comments: If you took them at face value, they could be quite demoralising - he is a big-shot professional. Most of what he presented has been debunked and there's been a swift universal rebuttal from the science community of his comments.

Greatest achievement: Managing to cling onto my job. Most women I know were forced to leave. There aren't that many jobs and most go to men.

Memorable moment: An elderly male professor assumed I was the research nurse when he first met me in a lift.

What I've learned: I have been in science for 30 years. I've never seen any evidence that women are not as good as men at science. It's a pervasive view but is simply not true, in my opinion.

Hope for the future: I'm just looking forward to that day when we can be accepted into the club on our own terms. I don't know if that will ever happen.

Image copyright Jessica Wade

Skip Twitter post by @jesswade

When people in positions of power in academia behave like this and retain their status they don’t only push one generation of underrepresented groups out of science, but train others that it’s ok to propagate this ideology for years to come.

— Dr Jess Wade 👩🏻‍🔬 (@jesswade) September 30, 2018

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Dr Jess Wade, 29, physics postdoc at Imperial College London

Getting into it: I had a really great and supportive physics teacher when I was at school, as well as very supportive parents - though they were both medical doctors and that put me off working in the NHS! They did inspire me though to do something I loved and to always be asking questions.

What are you working on? I work with carbon based materials for light emitting diodes. Think of the pixels in your TV screen or your mobile phone. We are looking at light, low-cost, high efficiency and flexible displays.

Prof Strumia's comments: They are really damaging to the community. Most of us realise that having diversity, having people who think differently to you, is so important to research. If you only have people who look and think the same, you will never progress.

Greatest achievement: For me, it was when I was asked to take part in the International Visitor Leadership Programme in the US. There were 48 people representing different countries, and I represented the UK.

Memorable moment: The thing is that the challenges women face in the field are less overt than a moment. There are biases when you apply for a new job, with peer reviews... and it affects non-Western scientists too. Sometimes we are facing sexism and we don't even know it.

What I've learned: There are challenges, but if we work closely together, we can overcome them.

Hope for the future: That we won't have to be excited about one women getting a Nobel Prize in physics and that it instead becomes a yearly occurrence.

Seven trailblazing women in science

Viewpoint: Everyone must fight sexism in science

First woman Physics Nobel winner in 55 years

Image copyright Dr Richard Gillams

Skip Twitter post by @DrSylviaMcLain

I'm still fuming ... yes fury, because it's inordinately dumb https://t.co/QcrP9zuHrt

— Sylvia McLain (@DrSylviaMcLain) October 1, 2018

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American-born Dr Sylvia McLain, 50, is a bio-physicist at the University of Oxford

Getting into it: She spent a long eight years getting a zoology degree as she had to work intermittently cleaning houses, delivering pizzas and working in gas stations to pay for her fees. She became a lab technician but the low pay prompted her to return to her studies, and she got a PhD in chemistry at 36. "I wasn't deeply passionate about science but I was pretty good at it and could earn some decent money."

What are you working on? Research lecturer in the biochemistry department at Oxford University.

Prof Strumia's comments: I think he's weak and feeling threatened. In nature, some oak trees kill off small oak trees so they can grow bigger and stronger.

Greatest achievement: Helping my students achieve their goals or giving them the courage to do something else.

Memorable moment: I'm a middle-of-the-road scientist but I always funded my own research. Every single time I got an award, at least one person would tell me: "You only got it because you are a woman." It's, like, thanks!

What I've learned: I used to want to be seen just as a scientist but you are prejudged for being a woman before you even walk through the door. They don't mean to do it.

Hope for the future: It's very important to listen to each other. I hope we get to the place where people take this seriously.