Gendered spaces of submission and subversion. The gynaecological clinic in sue townsend’s womberang

Abstract

The starting point of Womberang is the gathering of a group of working class women in the waiting room of the gynaecological clinic in a NHS hospital, a space clearly imbued of an unquestionable gendered quality as although it is primarily conceived to be “inhabited”, in a way, by women, it is actually controlled by men. Women are supposed to wait meekly in the waiting room, but this time is different due to the rrival of Rita, a woman who openly subverts all the rules of the place, calling the women into action against restrictive normatives and absurd gender conventionalisms. Unfortunately, subversion has got a high price to be paid. Rita’s unruly behaviour is defined as “potentially dangerous” and her past mental problems exposed. Her defiance eventually amounts to nothing as the women around keep quiet again and wait patiently to be seen. Therefore submission:1- subversion: 0.