Rhetorical Analysis Of ' Are We Worried About Storm 's Identity- Or Our Own ``

In Octavia Butler’s Dawn the idea of gender is deconstructed and reformed from the typical human’s definition. Often people do not consider the role of gender in society today. Usually the first thing one notices when meeting someone new is their gender or their presumed gender. However, there becomes a problem when the person whose gender we perceived identifies as a different gender. Butler forces the reader to examine how they judge and perceive gender. While the ooloi are actually “its” their personalities seem to imply a certain gender. The transgender community often brings up this issue because these assumptions of gender based on our judgments of what defines a male and what defines a female can skew how a transgender person is treated and addressed. In Chapter One of Gender Through the Prism of Difference by Anne Fausto-Sterling, the idea of expanding the number of genders based on one’s biological differences is examined through the five sexes theory. By now the concept of gender being defined solely by one’s biology has mostly been left in the past but the question remains of how do we truly define gender? How does being outside of the social norms that Michael Warner talks about cause us to feel shame when discussing our gender and our perceptions of gender? In this essay, I will argue that preconceived notions of gender create shame when a person’s own perception of their gender does not fit the social norms. This stigma around the limited and strict definitions

In our society today, there are many ways identity plays a role in how people live their lives, as well as how people are viewed or treated by others. A big part of a person’s identity comes from their gender. Men and women are raised differently, whether it be their beliefs and ways of thinking, how they view their future, or the actions they choose to take throughout their lifetime. In both Katha Pollitt and Silko’s essays, they discuss the differences in the lives of men and women and how these differences result from society’s expectations by using metaphors and life examples to explain their message to the reader, as well as allow the reader to connect to this message.

In the article written by Patricia J. Williams titled, “Are We Worried about Storm’s Identity – or Our Own”; she writes about a baby named Storm who is known to not have a gender identity the outside family and onlookers can call Storm. This has caused uproar in all social media outlets. William writes about how the world does not want to label the baby as an “It” because “It” is normally used to identify an inanimate objects. She writes about how awkward this could make an individual who approaches the baby, however she mentions is it only because it is what we are naturally accustom to doing by calling a baby a him or her and not always by the baby’s name. Though society has their concerns on the reasons they need to know the sex of the baby

She is able to make a very strong and efficient point with her logic and reason. She explains that if “we’re all just people,” or “we’re all equal,” or “it doesn’t matter what your religion is,” or “I don’t see race;” who cares about anything else if “we’re all American citizens?” If that should be true, why were so many people upset with Kathy Witterick and David Stocker’s decision? In today’s society, we claim freedom of choice, but often get ridiculed when making that choice. Williams notes we are not supposed to see difference based on gender, race, ethnicity, or religion. So logically, as a society we shouldn’t be bothered by such things. Again, then why were so many people upset about the family’s decision? Williams states our eagerness to assign gender is about personal satisfaction, so that we may run out and buy blue instead of pink or dolls rather than trucks. We have a need and desire to do this without a second thought, Williams explains the need to assign gender is to keep order in the world. Williams explains that gender is a social response embedded in our culture. When someone comes along who identifies as transgender the response is overwhelming. Williams argues that the overwhelming negative response to the parents of little baby Storm shows a tension in our culture. Williams then suggests “we should bring less panic to that moment of liminality and instead hold ourselves open to

What does it mean to be a woman or man? Whether we a man or a woman, in today’s society it is not determined just by our sex organs. Our gender includes a complex mix of beliefs, behaviors, and characteristics. How do you act, talk, and behave like a woman or man? Are you feminine or masculine, both, or neither? These are questions that help us get to the core of our gender and gender identity. Gender identity is how we feel about and express our gender and gender roles: clothing, behavior, and personal appearance. It is a feeling that we have as early as age two or three. In the article, “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meaning of Gender,” the author, Aaron Devor, is trying to persuade his readers that gender shapes how we behave because of the expectation from us and relate to one another. He does this by using an educational approach, describing gender stereotypes, and making cultural references. He gets readers to reflect on how “Children’s developing concepts of themselves as individuals are necessarily bound up …to understand the expectations of the society which they are a part of” (389). Growing up, from being a child to an adult is where most of us try to find ourselves. We tend to struggle during this transition period, people around us tell us what to be and not to be, Jamaica Kincaidt in her short story, “Girl” tells just that, the setting is presented as a set of life instructions to a girl by her mother to live properly. The mother soberly

The article “Are We Worried about Storm’s Identity or Our Own?” was written by Patricia J. Williams. This author wrote an article about her son, who goes to daycare and has a friend named Jessie. She's a young lady that stands at the entryway of the childcare every day, and grabs the other little kid’s lunchboxes and takes them to the refrigerator. Williams, points out that “My son started to mimic Jessie, and help her collect the lunch boxes from the other kids” She then remembers a day when the teacher was watching them do this as it was a routine, and describes the both of them in certain ways that are very heavily gender-based, but by it meaning no harm at all “Your son is such a sturdy little security guard! And Jessie, she’s our mini-hostess with the moistest!” This comment gets Williams thinking about a 5-month-old child named Storm. The reason storm is so important to this article, is because the child’s parents did not give out storm’s gender after birth.

“The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved” (Matthew Henry). Gender roles are how each human is supposed to act, speak, or dress according to their assigned sex. The world has always depended on them to make crucial decisions and they have marked every aspect of society. Several people have taken advantage of gender stereotypes to determine what to do with their lives or to come up with excuses as to why they are carrying out a task. Literature is one of the main agents that exposes human attitude towards life. It has been affected by time

The stereotypical labeling of genders can determine one person’s outlook on life. The judgment can make one feel like there is a set rubric to follow in order to remain in the lines regarding which gender they belong to. Such influences from peers or partners can alter

The sociology of gender is one of the largest subfields within sociology; sociological gender studies look at the social construction of gender and how gender interacts with other social structures within society (Crossman, 2016). It Is important that one understands the difference between sex and gender to understand the sociology of gender; unlike gender, sex is biologically determined and relates to the reproductive organs a person has. In order to separate gender and sex sociologists use different pronouns; when discussing gender, sociologists use the terms man/woman and when discussing sex sociologists will use the terms male/female (Crossman, 2016). Although most people fall into wither the category of male or female, some people are born with ‘sex organs’ that do not clearly fit into either of the two specific sex categories, these people are known as intersex (Ashley Crossman, 2016). Gender is described as a social classification based on one’s identity and how one presents themselves to the world; this identity relates to the way one behaves and interacts within society. Many sociologists view gender as a learned behaviour and look at gendered identities as being culturally produced which makes gendered identities socially constructed (Crossman,

Gender assignment as Williams describes, led her son and his friend Jessie's "teacher to describe them in such unconsciously distinct ways." (pg. 547) Williams describes that as we ask the question, "is it a boy or a girl?" (pg. 547) we seek to assign the child to a specific gender because "we need to do so as to order our world." Williams bring forth key evidence in our own language to support her claim as she states that, "In English, there is no universal pronoun, no general reference to common humanity; in order to speak comfortably, we automatically must yield to partitions of him, of her, of gender." (pg. 548) She further on states that, "in the absence of pronouns, address necessarily becomes specific, individual, even

Imagine living in a world where not knowing what’s under a person’s pants didn’t get under people’s skin because such private matters had never been a public thing. In an article from The Globe and Mail titled, “The genderless baby? Well-intentioned but wrong”, author, Judith Timson, criticizes the parents of the aforementioned baby, Storm, and their decision to hide Storm’s gender. Brandishing the words of Lady Gaga as if she were a credible source of research, Timson argues that Storm’s parents are depriving the child of a sexual and gender identity by keeping his or her sex a secret. However, as valid as Timson’s concerns are towards this controversial decision, it is important to note that Storm’s parents are not depriving Storm of his/her sex and consequently, Storm’s sexual/gender identity. If anything, the constant input of the public is the main struggle Storm will face in the exploration and development of his/her identity. Therefore, the genderless baby at the center of this societal storm, is not so much in risk of being deprived an identity as Timson contends, rather the child is at risk of being denied one.

“Revising the Rules” was first published by Kendall / Hunt Publishing Company in 1993 and has been revised in 1997 and 2000. This is a summary for the seventh chapter of the second edition of the 2000 revision. Haussamen begins the seventh chapter with a brief introduction into the subject, which is the use of pronouns “he” and “they” and the controversy of their usage. Within the chapter, Haussamen informs the reader of the historical usage and how each pronoun is used presently. He cites examples from various media, and ultimately, determines whether “he” or “they” should be used for singular gender-neutral or indefinite antecedents.

In other words, Williams questions the possibility of maintaining social order when ambiguity, identity-erasing truism are actually followed. By posing this question, Williams avoids criticizing the rationality of Storm’s parents, but rather making her stance clear. She concentrates on the concept of categorizing, stereotypes, and how we determine order. The article presents an argument of fact, since it challenges social beliefs, and the case of gender-erasing truism in the real

Most introductions to gender-studies start telling us how basic one’s gender is. “The first thing they said when you were born was: “it's a girl!” or “it's a boy!” and “the first thing people notice about you is your gender” (quotations from a gender course). The two-gender order is pervasive indeed. This paper tries to give an insight into the historical development of the two-gender order and more specifically transgender-identity. Some people who read this paper may be questioning their gender.

For many of us, name and gender are the two foremost criterions we judge a person by. It may be true that these two criteria complement each other most of the time. We do assume one’s gender based on their given name; being given a female name directly attributes the person to the female gender, vice versa if someone we to be given a male name. It is definitely not surprising since gender policing or gender segregation has occurred for many years such that it seems natural for us to practice it. I identify myself as a female because it felt natural, in addition to my biology. My name also supports my gender identity socially such that people could address me correctly in most public settings. Overall, it just feels right to me. However, based on personal experience I observe certain flaws in the two-gender nomenclature where people overgeneralize particular features a certain gender should or should not posses. In this paper, I will be arguing against this normalized viewpoint about what being a female is or is not. This widely universalized view on gender could be the result of the lack of flexibility in society’s viewpoint of a certain gender.