How Gender Operates Within The Setting Of An Olivia Vacation

As Tamsin Wilton explains in her piece, “Which One’s the Man? The Heterosexualisation of Lesbian Sex,” society has fronted

Gender is actually a set of rules, customs and traditions assigned to people of a particular sex. Gender is not biological but sex is. Rather, according to Lorber, it is influenced by our society and our culture. By proving this claim, Judith Lorber has put forth the example of the man and this example is efficient in distinguishing “gender” as a practice than as an innate attribute.

Although men and women have significant biological differences, the question whether gender-specific labels stems from these biological differences or are gender constructed remains a polarised nature versus nurture debate. Whether it is through the process of socialisation or genetic make-up, “gender identity” is given from a person’s birth, determining how a person culturally interacts and the expectations society places on them. Along with a “gender identity” comes a whole set of “norms”, “values” and so-called “gender characteristics”, which are supposed to define the differences between a male and a female. According to the World Health Organisation (n.d.), the term “sex” is often used to define the biological and physiological

Gender has been described as masculine or feminine characteristics that encompass gender identity sex as well as social roles (Nobelius 2004). According to sexologist John Money, there is a difference between gender as a role and the biologically of differences in sex (Udry 1994). Within scholarly disciplines, cultures and contexts, gender frequently has its own mean, contextual frame of reference and the manner in which it is used to describe a variety of issues and characteristics. The sociocultural codes, conventions and the suggested and literal rules that accompany the notion of gender are vast and diverse. There has been and continues to be much scholarly debate regarding the idea of gender and how it has been viewed historically; as well as changes in the grammatical use of the

First of all I am going to begin with defining sex and gender. Sex in a sociological perspective is defined as the biological and physiological differences between men and women which are contrasted in terms of reproductive function(Abercrombie et al 2000 :313). On the other hand gender is sociologically conceived as the social roles allocated to men and women in society that is to say gender is learned not innate. However previously it was believed that sex determined gender thus the differences between men and

Queer is a term that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) people use to describe the entire LGBT community. It has made them feel like they have their own community where heterosexist people won’t judge them. “The term is used positively to say it is okay to be different and it serves as an inclusive category that encompasses the shared political and social experiences of the group (classnotes, 2016). Basing on this assertion, Queer Theory through the theme of lesbian isolation in a heterosexist world is seen in “Don’t Explain” by the ways the protagonist Letty recognizes her sexual orientation but denies it, demonstrates internalized homophobia, and the way Letty interacts with Delia and Terry. In addition, the articles “We’re Here, We’re Queer, Y’all” by Karen L. Cox and “The Paradox of coming out” by Steven Petrow further proofs how queer theory is evident in “Don’t Explain.” It is clear that stereotyping basing on sexual orientation has led to negative perceptions of different LGBT community members (McDonald, 2013). In most cases, lesbians have been painted as men haters or over-feminized just as gays have been portrayed as haters of women. These stereotypes do not apply to all lesbians but creates undue pressure on characters like Letty forcing then to live in fear because of being different. The fact that fictional lesbian visual representation has being distorted by heterosexuals males has caused Letty and her lot to conceal their true

If a respectable mother is exclusive of her sexuality, gender non-conforming lesbian mothers already exist as illegitimate parents. The heterosexual matrix instils the notion that gender non-conformity marks sexuality – more specifically, non-heterosexuality. Female bodies stand antithetical to masculinity (Moody 2011). The subtleties of Stef and Nic’s masculinity mark their lesbianism in contrast to Lena and Jules femme because without the slight masculinity, Lena and Jules’ “lesbianism disappears, or, more accurately, never appears in the first place” (Martin 1996). This is perhaps why the characters all lean toward femininity. While the productions allow room for lesbianism, it is what Roseanne Kennedy refers to as an “absent presence” (Suk Gersen 2009, 513).

The issue of human sexuality is one that has been discussed for what seems like forever. Despite our towards becoming those who are accepting towards people who engage in ‘non-normative’ relationships, whether they be romantic or sexual, there are still issues. One particular problem is that of women who are interested in other women and how they are either ignored or looked down upon, more so than their male counterparts. A majority of the women, whom had to write under pseudonyms or under the mask of anonymity, during the 1800’s could not reveal who they were attracted to and could only live out their fantasies through their writing. And even then they had to be careful about how that aspect was represented in their works, though most people would never acknowledge the fact that two women interacting could ever be anything more than friendship. With this oppressive nature surrounding lesbians at the time, keeping them from showing a vital aspect of themselves that any person should be free to express, it is only natural that a good amount of these women would devolve into madness. It happens to plenty of members in the LGBT+ community who are unable to accept who they are based on the way they were raised.

The concept of gender has a strong social impact on me. When I was born, I was immediately assigned to a biological sex as a female with two X chromosomes. I was then socially classified as a girl in the society with feminine gender roles. Gender is defined as a social principle which attribute to the roles and expectations of males and females through the years of different societies (Phillips, 2005). Gender can be considered as behavioural, cultural and psychological traits

I will be explaining the following; Queer Theory, Radical feminism, sex=gender, biology is not destiny, youth non conformity, hegemonic masculinity, transgender and gender based harassment. I have used these six concepts because they highlight how sexuality and gender are constructed by society. This construction causes a heterosexual norm, which some people do not identify under. I have focused on Queer Theory because it depicts what is considered ‘normal’ regarding gender and sexuality. I also chose Radical theory to show how the construction of gender and sexuality can have a negative effect on women.

Sex, as we have learned, refers to the physical and anatomical differences between males and females. These differences are biological and unambiguous. Gender on the other hand, refers to the aspects that influence each sex and make them distinct from a social standpoint, and each of us does gender constantly. The social construction of gender has caused controversy throughout the years, and has ultimately conceived one of the most contended topics in our society of late: feminism.

Sex and gender have been highly controversial constructs amongst many researchers for a long time, due to differing interpretations and definitions for both. Sex is described as the biological indicators of an individual being male or female, based on their sex chromosomes and non-ambiguous internal and external genitalia. Gender, on the other hand, is a social construct that is shaped by the way someone develops their idea of male or female within society. The term gender was introduced when the realization arose that individuals with ambiguous or conflicting biological aspects were unable to completely identify as neither male nor female.

​For my ethnographic research paper I chose to study the life and struggle of Lesbians at work, school and on television. For this paper I will refer to the people that I interviewed by different names so that no one can be offended or embarrassed. The main focus of this ethnographic essay is to compare the lives on the television show the “L” word to the lesbians in real life and to focus on the feelings lesbians have as mothers. In “Gender, Genetics and Generation: Reformulating Biology in Lesbian Kinship” by Connie P. Hayden which focuses on the role of biology in relationships, sexuality and gender roles. Hayden discusses the role of blood relations and biology in relation to the “kinship theory” throughout the United States. The article also focuses on lesbian couples and their issues to be recognized as a nuclear family. Questions that I will be asking are how do lesbian mothers prepare for parenthood? How do they share the responsibility between the two? How do gender identities impact the role as a mother? And how do lesbian mothers who did not birth the child have satisfaction. Although lesbian motherhood is the focus of the ethnography; Lesbians that are not yet mothers and single lesbians also play a very important role.

The “New Woman” refers to a category of women, beginning in the late 19th century, who adopted feminist ideals, wishing to break gender roles and gain independence from and equality with men (Newton, 560-61). While not one specific, real person, the “New Woman” is an overarching term that encompasses the many women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The first generation of these women strove for economic and social autonomy with roles separate from the home and family spheres of domesticity (Newton, 561). For example, they would not marry, but instead receive a higher education and work in a profession (Newton, 561). To replace their commitments to men and family, they instead formed close and passionate relationships with other women, though these relationships were not sexual in nature, people viewed women as passionless and pure. The second generation, however, living in a more modernist culture of sexual freedom, began to discuss female sexuality, and wanted to participate in more opportunities only offered to men, including drinking and smoking (Newton, 564). Because of the societal idea that only men were sexual beings, New Women had to explain the intimate relationships among them, which had become sexual in the second generation. Thus, they created the idea of masculine lesbians, who had male souls that caused them their sexual feelings (Newton, 566). The “mythic mannish lesbian” refers to these women who dressed and acted in a masculine manner

The words ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are commonly confused with each other in regular, everyday conversations when the two have very different meanings. The term ‘sex’ refers to the biological and physiological characteristics of a person, such as male or female; ‘gender’ is a social construction that refers to masculine or feminine roles in society ( Nordqvist). For