The Social Construction Of Gender

Throughout this course, we have discussed how the differences in the social construction of gender, race, class, and sexuality have led to discrimination and inequality of those classified under a variety of these categories. Through understanding the significance of these social constructs on society it becomes apparent the intersectionality they have when it comes to understanding why certain groups may face discrimination or inequality. This paper examines gender inequality and how the social construction of gender makes it difficult for the pursuit of equality amongst genders.

The way society is taught to be socialized is salient and goes unnoticed, therefore it is valid to claim that gender is socially constructed through our everyday practices, whether we are aware of the construction or not. With socialization beginning the instant a child is born, the process is continuous through out adolescence and varies dramatically across the two genders. With guidance from institutions and arenas such as education, sports, music and the mass media gender seems to be coerced, as it comes with a scripted set of behaviors and attitudes. This essay argues that gender is socially constructed on an everyday basis. To further explain this thesis the essay will draw on early childhood socialization of masculinity and femininity,

Through a symbolic interactionist perspective, the social construction of gender will be analyzed by examining differences between the sexes and the expectation to follow the social norms of how people are supposed to dress, socialize with, and behave taught by common institutions of socialization.

There are many different ways that people understand what their culture prescribes as appropriate behavior for males and females. While there are a variety of ways that people are socialized and acculturated with respect to gender, mass media, in its various forms, is the primary way that people learn "how to act" as a girl or boy. Mass media is a powerful method of communication, entertainment, education, and socialization. The necessity and the relevancy of mass media becomes more prominent and urgent in the 21st century world, as the 21st century landscape is exceptionally more mediated than in previous eras of human history. It behooves producers, distributors, and consumers of mass media to understand and consider the interplay between power and discourse within the context of mass media. Where is the power of mass media and who wields it? What does the political economy of power in mass media reflect about the structures and mechanisms at work in society? How does mass media work within a context of power and discourse? The paper argues that mass media is used as part of a power strategy so as to inoculate and perpetuate specific discourses that are lived in the everyday experiences of subjects within such systems where mass media is used in such ways, particularly the experience of being male or female, or another gender altogether. Mass media has the

The Social Construction of gender according to Women, Images and Realities textbook (pg.10) is the socially constructed behaviors and characteristics that are associated with each sex. W.I.R. also explains the significant difference between sex and gender as the distinction that enables us to see that the expectations for women and men in our culture are neither immutable nor universal. Before you can begin to conceptualize that the dissimilarities between gender and sex you must comprehend the social construction of gender. A socially constructed ideology that relates to gender is when a child is first born if it is a male typically they are clothed in a blue blanket to indicate that they are a male and they received blue colored

Catholic church of her time, and made a new ideal for servant hood as a woman in the church.

In response to some of the described situational GBV’s, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, is the countries national body for social welfare, gender and children’s rights for Sierra Leone. In 2007, 30 women’s rights organisations joined a demonstration against GBV. The national committee is made up of government institutions, UN agencies both national and international organisation and are against GBV. There are also established regional GBV committees for national action plans, in its implementation of UN security council resolutions (UNSCR). Which are being made up of civil society organisations and traditional religious leaders globally (kjkljlk).

While observing interactions between people of both different and the same genders in the park at Orange Circle, it becomes evident how the social construction of gender and standard gender roles may or may not follow archetypal manner and can be applied differently depending on the individuals. Some of the observations recorded during this period have provided evidence that gender roles and gender stereotypes may be followed or applied in an archetypal way. However, what is most interesting is that the observation of select individuals has delineated the manner by which certain aspects of gender roles are shown to be subverted, challenged, or even reversed. Based on these observations, it can be surmised that people may have a choice in the ways in which the social construction of gender does and does not apply to their lives.

The boundaries of gender are expansive. Many theorists have debated the etiology of gender and the norms within a gender. Recently, given the expansion of the types of genders these theories have been studied more closely. Thus it has been offered that gender is both natural and socialized. There are biological and social factors that play into the identity of a person.

Socialisation’ is “a term used to refer to the lifelong process of inheriting and disseminating norms, customs and ideologies providing the individual with the skills and habits necessary for precipitating within one’s society, thus the means by which social and cultural continuity are attained” (Boundless.com, 2015). The process of socialisation involves an individual such as an adolescent having interactions with various agents of socialisation. Agents of socialisation are groups or institutions that play a crucial role in providing an individual with social and cultural skills in accordance with the social norms and standards of the society one is located in (Brian Furze, 2014). Socialisation contains two concepts, Primary and Secondary socialisation. Primary socialisation is a concept that involves usually a family’s influence over an individual during childhood; this process supports one to attain essential skills necessary to function in society as a child (Brian Furze, 2014). Secondary socialisation is a process that occurs after childhood and involves interactions with agencies other than family such as; schools peer groups, media etc… (Brian Furze, 2014). Gender socialisation is the process of how individuals are socialised into behaviours of the ascribed sex at birth and is the process of socialising into gender roles (Giddens, 1993). Gender Identity involves an individual’s perception of his or hers gender which usually correlates with ascribed status such as

Describe 3 concepts about gender and how these concepts impact us individually giving at least one example from your personal life.

All the sources I picked for my annotated bibliography convey the nature of masculinity/femininity and gender dynamics. Within these sources, I analyzed the many rhetoric devices like pathos, ethos and logos. Baez compares empathy between genders. Both Baez and Sultan inform the reader on common gender stereotypes. However, Sultan informs the reader on the social hierarchy of women. Finally, Vroegh examines masculinity and femininity among preschoolers.

Is gender binary universal or socially constructed? That is going to be the big question we ask ourselves today. Many people may have a different point of view and say it's this or that but today I will break it down how I see it in my eyes and will go in depth to support my idea. I will define three special words today which will be gender, gender binary and social construction. While going into depth with the article “Night to His Day”: The Social Construction of Gender” Lorber 1994. This consists of informing us that gender binary could be universal or social construction. Lorber believes that gender binary is universal for the individual and a social construction to society. I'll go more into depth with that concept in paragraph three. Also going into depth and in detail about the meaning of gender to society and the individual. Lastly, explain that gender binary could be universal or a social construction. Let's begin with the first concept of gender and gender binary.

Gender is socially constructed in the United States due to the enforcement of societal norms. Sex is more of a biological concept, while gender is more of a social construct. Gender involves the social expectations, norms, and rules that are prescribed to either males or females in society. According to Lorber in the article “Night to his day: The social construction of gender”, sex is more biologically-based, while gender is socialized and is related to the everyday actions we commit and everyday activities we participate in. Based on the sex a person is born with, a set of social expectations is placed upon this person. Throughout the course of the lifespan, individuals are taught to meet the expectations and standards of masculinity and femininity assigned to them based on their sex (as determined by their genitalia at birth). Although men and women are physiologically more alike in appearance than they are different, many people believe in categorical distinctions based on sex.

Gender, as a basic classification of human beings has attracted much more attention than before because it played an essential role in the process that feminists fight for women 's equality in the society. Scholars have proposed numerous theories from various dimensions. The relationship of organizations and gender is one of popular dimension in academic researches. Because the organization is "an area in which widely disseminated cultural images of gender are invented and reproduced"(Acker, 1990). Therefore, organizations are typical places where gender is constructed. Analysis of the construction process of gender in the organization will reflect how the public understand the concept of gender, and will reveal the relationship between male and female in modern society.