Marked or Unmarked

In Tanner's piece, There is No Unmarked Woman, she discusses the marked nature of a woman and how there is no set norm for the appearance of a woman. She discusses the issue by introducing the topic through a visual of a conference table and the people seated around it. All the females were dressed very differently and the way they depicted themselves through hair, makeup, and posture were all very different, making them marked and unique. On the other hand, the males all dressed similarly showing little to no variance in their appearance and clothing. They appeared to be unmarked.

Yet I have to wonder, is being marked a negative thing? It simply means we are different and that there is no set norm. In the case of women though, it can be negative at times when women are objectified or looked at in a sexual manner. Also, Tanner claims that speaking out about feminism or even the marked nature of women can garner criticism and inappropriate remarks. For a lot of people, it seems that it is natural for them to prefer the unmarked side. For example, as Tanner states, "the unmarked form of most English words also claim 'male.'" The base form of a lot of things are male whether we notice it or not. It is in this society that a woman cannot be perceived as unmarked and does not have a norm to belong to.