Lecture confronts female gang myths

By Joktan Kwiatkowski, The Lantern - Campus, Issue: 2/21/05

A researcher with extensive insight into the female gang culture gave a presentation Thursday in the Multicultural Center that aimed to debunk common myths about gangs.

In a presentation titled "The Politics of Representation," ethnographer Marie "Keta" Miranda addressed the general misrepresentation of gang members, but focused largely on women. She discussed findings from her own research, as well as the knowledge she gained through her ethnographic collaboration with Chicana youths in Oakland, Calif., published in the 2003 book "Homegirls in the Public Sphere."

Miranda said common misconceptions include women as auxiliaries, sexual objects and pawns of gang culture, Miranda said.

"That really isn't what a girl gang member is," she said.

It is important to recognize that women in gangs do have agency and they do make significant decisions, Miranda said.

She said the gangs she studied in northern California were unique because they consisted entirely of young women. Some initially began in male gangs and broke away to form their own groups, while others were made up of girls who regularly hung out together and eventually formed a gang.

Miranda showed examples of popular imagery that failed to accurately portray gang members, including photographs by Mexican feminist photographer Graciela Iturbide and the cover of ethnographer Anne Campbell's book published in 1984, "The Girls in the Gang."

Media images tend to marginalize gang members, making them appear as distant members of society, Miranda said. Gang members tend to be regarded as "something other," and the popular fascination with them is exacerbated by the media, she said.

Miranda juxtaposed images of gang members taken by the media with photographs of gang members taken by themselves.

While those published by the media showed gang members in enigmatic or wild poses and in violent situations, the photographs taken by gang members showed them taking part in normal activities, such as a baby shower, a graduation, conferences, youth fairs and eating at restaurants.

Miranda said the female gang members were not given a camera and were asked only to illustrate their understanding of the concepts of friendship and networks.

Miranda's discussion about the misrepresentation of gangs was powerful, said Gretchen von Boeselager, a sophomore in English who is familiar with people in "crews" - punk and skinhead gangs.

She said she was impressed at their marginalization, even though they were important members of their own group.

"They're kind of unable to have their own voice in society, even though they are members of society," von Boeselager said.

Miranda stressed the need for people in power to change their approach in order to provide more understanding of subculture groups. The camera has to shift to better portray not only the culture of women in gangs, but also young people as a whole, Miranda said.

Lisa Dunn, a graduate student in women's studies, agreed with the Miranda's ideas.

It is important to look at women differently and to avoid committing to traditional assumptions, Dunn said.

http://www.thelantern.com/news/2005/02/21/Campus/Lecture.Confronts.Female.Gang.Myths-871304.shtml