A Perfectly Imperfect Decision : Gender Socialization

Gender roles are categories that characterize what it means to be feminine and masculine in society, on how people think about gender as they relate to one another (Adams et al., 2013). For example, women are expected to be accommodating and emotional, while men are usually expected to be self-confident and aggressive, this shows how men and women are to behave in society. However, these sayings were taught to individuals based on norms, or standards created by a society which is called Gender Socialization (p. 318). Growing up as a child, we were taught as girls to play with dollhouses, pretend kitchen sets, cleaning supplies and play dress up. Whereas boys are taught to play with cars, sports equipment’s, action figures, and weapons. However, if a boy was playing with dollhouses, or playing dress up, he would be considered gay, or not masculine and looked down upon by society, and families. The same goes for girls who play with boy toys, or dresses as a tomboy, this is what we are taught to play with at a young age. Our families tell us how to behave, our schools tell us what

Toys play quite an important role in children’s lives, along with their socialization. Kids spend a vast amount of time playing with toys, alone and with their peers or parents. In todays age when it comes time to buying gifts for children everything is color coded. There are many boundaries that separate

African American women faced tough challenged and they overcame to become equal with men in today's society. Society cannot forget that enslaved women never stopped trying to become equal and fight the racial judgments and their sexual abuse that left them traumatized. The exact number of women who were raped and carried the child of a man who was not her husband will never be known but narratives and testimonies have led us to believe that hundreds had been raped. African American women who spoke out led us to discover a hidden part of the history of slavery

In her book, Southern Horrors: Women and the Politics of Rape and Lynching, Crystal N. Feimster discusses how race, gender and politics shaped the post-civil war south from reconstruction into the 20th century through the use of historical statistics, narratives and recorded court cases. Through the juxtaposition of Rebecca Latimer Felton and Ida B. Wells, born a generation apart as a plantation mistress and the other into racism, Feimster explores the differences in the treatment of and the reactions to a white woman and an African American woman fighting against rape and for women’s rights. The author, discusses how institutionalized racism, patriarchy and mob violence helped and hurt these women on their quest for equal rights.

White defendants when the victim was white. In the midst of it all, the rape of Black women by white men throughout slavery and until this very day and age goes on hardly ever talked about, and justifies this manner as an additional technique used as an essential weapon to maintain white male supremacy, and dehumanize Black persons culture. This piece will examine how gender and race interconnects with the perception of what is considered criminal intent and the justice system. Gender acts on as an important task in recognizing who commit what sorts of crimes, why they carry out so, who is frequently wronged, and most importantly how the criminal justice system take actions to these victims and wrongdoers. How the many racial occurrences shape they way our society is structured and what impact it on has women’s bodies. One will observe how rape is surrounded by the unlawful beliefs and will bring to light why one should be aware of those beliefs and its approach towards women. Those accused of raping Black and White women, if they are Black men they will be charged much more severe and more than likely, in the past, become lynching victims. If a White man is accused of rape, generally excuses are made for his acts of crime and are often let off and won’t be held culpable. One will argue that lynching and rape was an answer premeditated to hark back blacks of their "true" position, to uphold decreasing white male domination.

Although slavery is now abolished and we have come a long way in the way that our nation treats African Americans, Willie Lynch’s letter: Making a Slave, is still relevant in some way to this day. When Lynch delivered his points were made as solutions as to how slave owners can control their slaves. However, when it comes to the gender roles among the slaves, this mindset has not died. Instead, this mindset is found in today's generation of African American adult and children. Through the high rate of African American males being incarcerated, women have been forced to become more independent. In the letter Lynch states that the woman has been “left alone, unprotected, [with her perception of] the male image destroyed.” Even when women have

Gender socialization takes place in our everyday lives whether we subconsciously know it or not. Gender socialization is the socially learned expectations and behaviors associated with members of each gender. For example, If I were to say it takes my friend at least 45 minutes to do their hair before school everyday, you would assume I am speaking about a friend who is a female as opposed to a friend who is male. This is because of the idea of gender socialization.

Jody Miller uses the urban neighborhoods of St. Louis as a canvas to paint a picture of the constant struggles that young African-American women face. Such as, neighborhood violence, sexual violence, gender and sexual harassment in school, as well as dating violence within their lives on a daily basis; Miller focuses on the gender inequalities that are present within the urban communities and how patriarchy is ingrained in the young men of urban subculture. The girls views the males of their communities as being more susceptible to violence because of their masculine personas and gang participation. This shows that although the girls acknowledge the potential victimization’s they are likely to face, they still succumb to their victimization, categorizing the violence against them as commonplace. This leads them to viewing themselves as second-class citizens within the community. While they have acquired knowledge that the neighborhood streets at nighttime are a male-dominated place, even though it is a public space for anyone, it is seen as dangerous for women at night, this example illustrates the preconceived need for self-isolation within the neighborhood. “Gail stated I’ll be walkin’ at night and people just be walkin’ behind you I mean, I do not know, everybody gets scared to walk at nighttime, so I guess it’s just normal” (Miller,2008, p36)

The impact of systematic oppression on members of the Black community traces back to the 17th and 18th centuries during the time of slavery within the United States (Feagan, 1986). Systems were established to steal Africans from their homeland, to ship them to America for the purpose of using them as chattel for economic profit. During this daunting time within history, millions of African lives were lost and families were separated (Feagan, 1986). Slavery impacted the Black family structure by indefinitely separating men, women and children (Auslander, 2013). Moreover, families were impacted psychologically with the use of traumatizing tactics forcing them to adhere to inhumane treatment, while internalizing notions that they are less human,

Throughout the course of the semester, we have covered how sexual violence is a tool used by white men, as a way to keep those who they have deemed unworthy, beneath them. Ultimately, the pieces of film and literature presented in class are all becoming connected to one another, and is laying out a more superior story than originally perceived. Without much thought, these five sources may not seem to be associated with each other, although, when one critically analyzes the information presented more meticulously more doors of understanding become unlocked. Which is fascinating since some of these stories had taken place long before the end of the Civil War, while others have been occurring all the way up till the twenty-first century,

My goal for this paper is to discuss the deep meaning of the race, social justice, and the demonization of young African American men. For decades the African American male has been portrayed as a uniquely menacing figure. I feel like the context in which African American men are implicitly dehumanized and viewed as less essential to our society is a disgrace on humanity. African American males have a bad reputation due to how racist media portrays them regarding their lifestyles. I believe that society should become familiar with how American African men aren’t offered privilege of innocence nor definitional protection.

“He told me that I was made for his use, made to obey his command in every thing; that I was nothing but a slave, whose will must and should surrender to his…” The treatment of slaves varied in their personal experiences as well as in the experiences of others they knew, but Harriet Jacobs phenomenally described the dynamics of the relationship between many female slaves and their superiors with these words from her personal narrative, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861). Before slavery was outlawed it was not uncommon for young female slaves to be sexually abused and exploited by their masters. Although many people know about the cruelty of the sexual assaults that made too many young girls victims of rape in the Antebellum South, most people are unaware of the complexity of the issue and how many different ways these women were abused.

Socialisation is the process by which we learn the norms and values of the culture and society around us. The feminist theory’s views these agents to benefit patriarchy and assign hidden gender roles in favour of men; although there are many different branches of feminism (radical, liberal, Marxist and difference) their explanations as to why differ, but all agree that women are exploited to teach the norms and values that precipitate patriarchy and lead to female oppression. They believe this is done through agents such as, the family this is our primary socialisation, which is the first type we have, and then secondary socialisation which includes things such as the media, schools, work place and religion.

In our society, there are norms of what is considered to be feminine and what is to be considered masculine, but how are these norms constructed? Through the use of toys, books, and clothing, children are socialized into their “appropriate” gender. These objects provide influence over behavior and appearance, showing boys and girls what is appropriate for each gender. After some investigation it was found that the toys, books, and clothing that children use not only foster the norms of gender behavior and appearance, but also construct gender roles in their young minds.

White’s feminist and racial analysis of slavery in the American South shows how white men used the perceived sensuality and promiscuity of slave women to justify their physical and sexual abuse. It also acted as a foil for the sexual restraint and virtue expected of white women. White women created an identity as the social and moral superiors of black women. This perpetuated the cycle of slavery and the mistreatment of black women in America.