Gender As A Social Construction Essay

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1. Introduction Constructionists view facts and reality as formed by the mind. They see knowledge not as created but constructed by society. Knowledge is brought about through the contact of people with the social world. All recurring actions becomes a pattern, which can be reproduced without much effort. In time this recurring actions forms a general store of data, which is constantly reaffirmed in the persons interacting with others. 2. Money as an example of a general accepted social constructed thing in everyday life. Money is one of our everyday social constructed things. We all choose to believe that pieces of paper have value and can be used to purchase real things in the world. We trust that when we exchange something for those pieces of paper, it is because the next person will also accept and understand that as a real currency. …show more content…

Gender as a social construction Gender is never as good descriptor of an person, but a person is always part of a gender group. By acting out gender we reinforce the idea that there are only two mutually exclusive categories of gender. The idea that men and women are different is what makes men and women act differently. 4. Gender characteristics Sex is considered to be a born status, while gender is an achieved status. Gender characteristics refers to societies expectations about how we should think and act as girls and boys. Gender roles vary greatly from one social class to another and is formed form an early age from their parents and family, their beliefs and their culture, as well s the outside world. As children grow they adopt behaviors that are rewarded by love and admired. Behavior that is ridiculed, humiliated and punished are stopped or hided. Usually this happens early in life, and by the age of 3, children have learned to prefer toys and clothes that are chosen for them by