profanity in G.I. Jane
May 6, 2009
In this next film, the use of profane language is not the only barrier the main character faces. Jordan O’Neil, played by Demi Moore in 1997’s G.I. Jane is in the position of being one of the first females to undergo the rigorous Navy Seals training. This unique position causes her femininity to be both highlighted because of the stark difference between her and her fellow lieutenants at the same time that she is attempting to forgo her own femininity to fit in with her peers and succeed in the program. It only seems natural that this strange dichotomy would serve as the basis for Lt. O’Neil’s use of masculine centered profanity to emphasize the gendered nature of language and show how its usage by a woman can be particularly effective.
The effect of profanity in the film is particularly poignant because of the homogenously male nature of the Navy Seals training unit that it portrays. The male only environment allows the use of swears to flourish because of the male-centric nature of the language. The complete male segregation leads to exaggerates the increased profanity in male-to-male discourse that was previously seen in There’s Something About Mary. However, more convincing is the link between swearing and aggression or catharsis, which fits in the realm of the military.[1] The abundance of “fuck” and “hell” in the vocabulary of the trainees and generals show that profanity is intrinsic in their communication.
[1] Stapleton, ##
