Gender And Sexuality-Personal Narrative

From birth, one's sexuality is shaped by society. Cultures institute behaviors that are to be seen as the societal norms, which work to constantly reinforce societal expectations of how genders should act in relation to one another. Although some may argue that one's sexuality is an innate characteristic resulting from genetic makeup, there is a large amount of evidence pointing to its social construction instead. Through the power differences between males and females, established gender roles, and drastic economic shifts, society establishes sexuality and reinforces the behaviors that are expected of its citizens.

Dracula can be read as an almost transparent metaphor for the confusion, guilt and anger over what is considered to be the ‘proper’ role of women in Victorian society. The ‘vamping’ of a human female - such as in the case of Lucy - succeeds in adding a sexualised and sexualising element to women, who - according to the time period - are then only ‘purified’ through further sexual and violent acts, such as being penetrated by a wooden stake (Skal, 31).

In an article “'Why did God make me like this?': Parents share incredibly moving film about having a transgender son and why they decided to let him change gender and become a boy at age five” by Snejana Farberrov discuss how one family embraced a daughter transgender by cutting her hair and using male pronouns. The girl who name is Ryland told her parents, she was a boy and from then on more and more they started to treat Ryland as a boy. She told her parents at a very young age that she was a boy.

When most people are little, they have some experience that leads them to the realization that they are either a boy, girl, or person of another gender. It could be anything from a self-discovery to an

Since my early teenage years I have been told that the way I think and reacted to things was like a man; so for the one day I had to live the gender experience of a man, I decided to take the role as far as I can. I did everything I could think of doing: I dressed, acted, talked, ate, fixed thing, be in control of everything and I even though like a man.

To answer this question it is important to understand the terms Sexuality and Gender roles. Sexuality means a person 's sexual identity in relation to the gender to which he or she is typically attracted; the fact of being heterosexual or homosexual; sexual orientation . Gender roles means the state of being male or female as expressed by social or cultural distinctions and differences, rather than biological ones. It is vital to gain an understanding of the perceptions of sexuality and gender roles in the seventeenth century and then to analyse them closely throughout the eighteenth century to see how they gradually changed. Helping me to respond to the subject I will be considering the vicissitudes of: the rise in pornographic literature, the change in biological acuities, the hardening of gender boundaries through separate spheres, the transformation of sexual behaviour between men and women, the change of attitudes towards women and men concerning issues of femininity and masculinity and demographic changes across the eighteenth century.

     It is becoming an increasing phenomenon that women are coming out as lesbians in their middle-adulthood. While defining one’s sexual identity is often a confusing time for youth it becomes that much more difficult for women as they get older. As women age they are more likely to get married, have children, begin careers, and settle into a lifestyle that is dictated to them by patriarchal rules.

Lady B I will call her to protect her identity is a friend of mind. Her behavior with me was more a social group even though it was only the two of us. She shared with me a closer physical relationship than she did with her female or other male friends. It was as if she did not trust her other friends. However, with me, she broke down the space barrier and allowed the playful lean on me after a joke type contact. I thought her demeanor display something more an being friendly. In addition, we barely made eye contact her and I developed an emotional attraction. I believe the eye contact would have taken it to another level for me anyway. We would greet one another with a big smile from there it was none stop

Imagine sitting in the bathroom, thinking about how bad you were at dance. Yeah, that’s what I was doing 30 minutes into my class. It all started out good, my teacher was very nice and encouraging, along with all my other friends in the class. We were all doing our warm-ups, when Kourtney Grove walked in the door. I almost dropped dead. The teacher welcomed her as she threw her stuff on the ground and stood next to me. Kourtney, was almost twice my height, she was on the wrestling team, and did I forget to mention, she bullied me and three of my friends. I wondered what she was doing here, she wasn’t a very gentle person. As the teacher explained something called a pirouette, she whispered to me in a crisp voice,” Get outta my way shorty”. I slowly raised my head and glanced at her, my bottom lip quivering.

Well, society encouraged me to act in “gender-appropriate” ways from the moment my parents found out they were having a little girl so my room when I grew up was all decked out in pink and purple, while my brother got a room with blues and greens. From the moment parents find out what the sex of their child is they automatically assign their child to the color that fits their gender like pinks and purples for girls and blue and green for boys. I always grew up surrounded by flowers and things that are deemed as girly and I found nothing wrong with it because it felt normal to me. Well an example of a socialization I experienced as a child was that I always thought everyone had a stay-at-home mom like I did and a father who worked all day to

The first time I was ever called a Feminist was in my freshman year of high school. It was a hot day in early June. Every student was itching to be set free on their summer vacation. Before the bell rang, The afternoon announcements rang out over the intercom with the usual monotonous stuff like the clubs that were meeting after school that day, and last call to hand in uniforms for the sports season that had just ended. Then came the standard dress code announcement. "Ladies and gentleman, we know the weather is heating up, but please still adhere to the schools dress code. This means that shorts must be fingertip length, and there are to be no open toed shoes or flip flops." After going to public school all my life, I had heard all of these

There really haven’t been many times in my life where there was a conflict between my personal experience and the gender identity that I was expected to conform to. Although I am a bit of an introvert. There have been less cases of these because with people that I choose to surround myself with I make sure that they know that I don’t care what anyone expects me to conform to. “Individuality makes its appearance by being differentiated from other individualities” (Buber, pg. 162). In response, they question me about why their likes, dislikes, and choices are different from mine, and not from society’s.

I knew Christmas was coming up, and I knew my wife was going to go all out to get me something special! With only $2.00 I went into the city to try and find something that I knew she would like. First I went into the women shoe dept. Store, I looked all over for some shoes but I did not find anything. Next I went into the women clothing store. I thought about buying Della a nice outfit. BUT I did not have enough money for a nice outfit and I knew the man would not negotiate with me. After 2 hours of looking and thinking, I am now starting to panic it is getting late and I do not have a clue, nor a thought about what I should get my wife! As I was walking, out of luck, I walked past a beauty supply store and I saw this BEAUTIFUL comb! My wife had long beautiful hair and I knew she would love this comb.

Discuss what you think the sources tell us about beauty’s place in the history of gender and sexuality. Consider as well the historical evidence you have about efforts to enhance beauty through adornment or other alterations of appearance.

Gender, sex, and sexuality are not new concepts in today’s society. These three terms have been around for a long time, but they have only just started to surface and be taught and understood by the nation. Slowly society is learning that sex does not determine one’s sexual orientation and gender and who you are is nothing to be ashamed about.