Peer Group Peer Response

Peer 1: Evan

I agree with your assertion that peer group culture follows a social structure because it has norms and rules that its members abide by. It is true that being in a group offers resources such as social networking as well as give out roles, elements that vital in giving members of a group a sense of security. Also, I concur with your position that normalizing homophobic slurs is trying to appease the social group to protect one’s membership and have their agency infected by an external force’s own set of rules and values, a view that agrees with Pascoe’s research and findings. Overall, your discussion is very clear and is clearly relevant and strong in relation to citing examples that converge to Pascoe’s position on the fag concept. You also present interesting questions relating to matters of parental influence on socialization, status of young individuals, and the issue of creating self-identity amidst all the social issues.

Peer 2: Julian

You present an argument that the peer group culture operates in a way that targets little things like the way an individual stands, the things someone is into, and many other minor things someone may do or not do, and when someone like a teenage boy notices these things they decide to pick it out and make it something bigger than what it really is. Basically, you posit that peer groups are all about creating a culture from daily behavior and associative reasoning. I agree with this position and further point out that a majority of the cultures and subcultures are formed exactly through copying behavior regarded as popular. Your analysis is in harmony with Pascoe’s research that the use of the term fag has little to do with one being a member of the LGBTQ community and more to do with being an outsider as far as popular culture is concerned. your position is clear and concise, including your sociological question on the relationship between boys and the way they relate with each other.