Colorado Gender Roles

As a result of the football fanfare, gender roles support deviant behavior within Odessa’s community. The females throughout the book play a small traditional role within the masculine community. Females that attend Permian high school dream of one day becoming a Pepette. A Pepette is a cheerleader devoted to a specific football player. Pepettes act as servants for their designated player; they bake football themed desserts, decorate signs, carry their books and even get paid for sex. This female gender role is supported throughout Odessa’s community. Pepettes have a specific role to play, and that role is to support their football player in anything he needs to be successful on the field. It is mentioned that often times, intelligent females “dumb down” to fit within the Permian school culture. Academic expectations have encouraged deviance within the classroom for Permian football players. Boobie Miles is a good example of how corrupt the town’s educational program is. Football is a priority over academic achievement in Odessa. Almost all athletes who reside in Odessa have low expectations within the classroom. Don Billingsley, as well as other football players, pass their classes by doing minimal work. The teachers are burned out

Charlie Billingsley was a Permian football has-been who is now living through his son Don Billingsley. Don is the starting fullback and during the first game makes multiple errors and fumbles, allowing the other team to score a touchdown. As a result, Coach Gaines starts Chris Comer, a second string colored athlete over Don. Chris becomes the new star, which creates jealously within Don. Don begins making racist remarks as he worries he has lost his chance to play for Permian to a colored athlete. Don thinks there are different rules for black and white colored people at