"There Is No Unmarked Women" by Deborah Tannen

Brian O'Hara
Brooke Reed
Kelvin Duong
Jessie Prichard
"There Is No Unmarked Women" by Deborah Tannen
What is the effect of opening the essay with elaborate descriptions of the women's dress?
Question 1
The effect of opening the essay with the elaborate descriptions of the women dress are to illustrate how the author is degrading the image of women right from the start without even meeting them. There is irony involved because the male ratio is double that of the female ratio which in turn creates an atmosphere of male domination but still no judgement involved or acted upon towards the males in any way. The dress of a women is a symbol of who she really is and what she will be based on in society around her.
Answer
Do Deborah Tannen's references to her personal experiences strengthen or weaken the argument about marked vs. unmarked people? Explain.
Question 2
Answer
Deborah Tannen’s references to her personal experiences strengthen the argument about marked and unmarked people because it allows her to adapt her writing of style into a more emotional style of writing. For example when the author was working in the conference room she establishes her way of how people judge women more then men so when a man is unmarked, which most are, they are under the radar or not noticed easily. Where as a women is always marked because she is always receiving negative feedback on how she looks or what she wears no matter where she goes there is always social judgement on them. So personal help to provide examples of how a man and women can be marked and unmarked in society.
Question 7
Tannen wrote this essay in 1993. Is it outdated, or is it even more relevant today? Consider her thesis in light of other culture or ethnicities or time periods. In a country where womens choices in dress are restricted by social mores, for example is Tannen's claim acceptable?
Answer
Although Tannen wrote this essay in 1993, it is still relevant in todays society because gender inequality has evolved into a more serious issue than it has been in the past. In todays society, there is not a day that goes by without judgement being a main priority of many in todays world, very different from how it used to be maybe in 1993. For example Indian women who are strict to their culture and where the same clothing are still judged even though they all are wearing the same clothes, this is how society has evolved and there is little hope as to changing this.
Marked vs Unmarked
Unmarked= Being able to dress, act, or speak your mind without being judged.



Marked= Being shamed and or frowned upon for the way you act, dress or speak.
Activity


Directions: 5 minutes to discuss with table group. Decide which person "wore it better" and list the reasons why you believe so.
Transitive property
A=B
B=C
A=C
Man = Human

Woman = Human
Man= Woman