Arrested Development and Philosophy_ They've Made a Huge Mistake - Kristopher G. Phillips [57]
In addition, Tobias doesn’t feel bound to the traditional gendered pronouns. He uses “she” and “he” nearly interchangeably, including in his book, where he changes all pronouns to the masculine “for ease of the reader.” Tobias later recognizes that perhaps it was a mistake to only focus on the masculine; he suspects that the lack of feminine pronouns may have resulted in alienation of women readers. Instead of using pronouns based on a person’s sex or sexual orientation, he uses them based on behaviors and traits. Thus, he uses gendered pronouns in a way unlike the way most people tend to.
For example, when a person is exhibiting feminine traits (such as when Steve Holt (!) is cast as Beatrice), Tobias uses feminine pronouns independent of the person’s biology or sexuality. Steve Holt (!) is a “she” because his role is that of a female. (It really is that simple, even if Michael can’t see it!). Calling Steve “she” has nothing to do with sexual orientation or biology. Gender is something we perform, it isn’t something we are.
Tobias is bringing challenges to the English language through gender ambiguity and novel uses of gendered pronouns. By forcing us to reexamine our presumptions about gender, he shows us that we’ve been wrong to assume that all females are feminine and all males are masculine (as well as the assumption that the feminine are attracted to the masculine and vice versa).9
Analraping Tobias
At the end of the day it’s not important what gender Tobias has. Rather, what Tobias shows us is how deeply rooted our gender biases are. Most people quickly jump to the assumption that there’s something wrong with Tobias because he falls outside of traditional gender norms. Few people, however, take the time to ask themselves why they assume that he’s gay, nor do they reflect on the problems associated with making generalizations about a person on the basis of a stereotype. Additionally, people often tend to ignore why they think it matters whether Tobias is gay. The focus on his gender as a problem shows not only our preoccupation with gender, but also with sexual orientation. The merit of Tobias shouldn’t lie in his sexual orientation—whether he’s gay or straight isn’t a “problem” that needs a “solution.”
Moreover, focusing on biases prevents appreciation of Tobias’s admirable traits. Tobias sincerely wants to be a good person. Consider, for example, the episode “In God We Trust,” when he disrobes (a huge step for him!) to reveal his never-nudism because he believes it will help George Michael through his own body issues, as well as help him be a good actor. Granted, Tobias is often confused about what that being a good person entails, like when he tries to set George Michael up with Steve Holt (!) in “Bringing Up Buster,” but that doesn’t mean he is not earnest and sincere. He’s also the type of person who focuses on capabilities, propensities, skills and interests, not restrictive gender roles. Instead of defining himself entirely in the context of what is expected of him as a man, Tobias looks instead towards the universe’s plan. He need not adhere to social expectations of him on the basis of his sex and gender (many of his choices for auditions involve performances that are typically feminine, such as his excerpt from “The Vagina Monologues”); instead, he places his faith in the universe to prescribe the best course of action for him. Tobias tells the family’s publicist that, “I truly believe the universe wants me to be an actor and not a doctor, I’m just waiting for a sign.” And when Carl Weathers is on the same shuttle to the airport, Tobias exclaims, “Universe, You’ve done it again!” (“Public Relations”). Tobias believes the universe will devise a plan that’s best for him based on his character and his skills, not his gender.
Tobias as the Ideal
When