Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
Feminist theory on gender
Gender identity in society
How does gender shape ones identity
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Feminist theory on gender
Gender identity in society
How does gender shape ones identity
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
To understand the linkage between sexuality and gender, it is important to reimagine the relationship between sexuality and gender and the rapport they hold with self-identification. Not long ago, sexuality was tied to procreation - becoming the core of one’s identity. Gender had always been tied to biological sex. However, a crisis of gender identity emerged and blurred the gender and sexuality binaries that had become commonplace social facts. A fluidity was created that allowed individuals to not feel the pressure of fitting inside distinct identification categories.
Some folks assume that girls and boys behave and like different things based on their distinctive innate nature and physical differences. While it might be true that they identify themselves based on biological traits like their gender/sex, Penelope Eckert, the author of Learning to be Gendered, argued that receiving different treatments and nurture can have influence on how girls and boys learn to identify themselves. Penelope suggest that there’s a social matter where an individual’s gender can be a heavy label on how he or she would be like, but part of the gender label is developed by parenting while growing up. Even at birth, gender roles are conditioned by their milieu. Baby girls are given flowery or pink gifts while boys are
The issue of gender, its roles and norms, is a prevailing theme in intellectual works of writing such as Aaron Devor’s “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender,” Hanna Rosin’s “A Boy’s Life,” and Tanwi Nandini Islam’s Bright Lines. Aaron Devor’s essay “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender” thoroughly explains with unbiased and compelling evidence how gender roles are the product of socialization. According to him, they are the result of lessons taught and instilled in the minds of children so early in life. The story of Brandon Simms, a lively eight year old boy, challenges the argument presented in Devor’s account.
The key aspects surrounding this theory emphasize the genetic and hormonal factors present during the prenatal period which ultimately influence how one is socialized. Parents observe whether their child is a boy or girl and shape certain opportunities and environments to fit this biological essence- it is difficult to separate the two and one must exist for the other to occur. Despite evidence supporting the biological and social interplay, others have argued why children may adopt non-traditional gender identities despite parents socializing against
The knowledge of exploring who you are as male or female represents the ability to comprehend our identity and become part of society’s standards. Gender is a social constructed characteristic interviewed with cultural views and behaviors ruled by context. Because gender is ruled by society’s standards it has become a negative developmental issue for those who do not fit into gender expectations. Repressive hostility upon identity is a central theme discussed in Fun Home by Alison Bechdel. By using graphic illustrations the author shows in a intimate medium her childhood memories so readers can empathize with her memoir easily.
Pride and confidence is instilled in a person’s subconscious in the next stages, Internalization and Internalization-commitment(Akos, P., & Ellis, C. M.. 2008.). The next influence on the development of a person’s identity is gender. Gender does not have a meaningful impact on children until they reach approximately the age of four. From the ages of four to seven, children see gender as a definitive aspect of a person and force themselves and others to conform to their respective gender norms(Kerr, B. A., & Multon, K. D..
Henslin (1999:76) contends that "an important part of socialisation is the learning of culturally defined gender roles. " Gender socialisation refers to the learning of behaviour and attitudes considered appropriate for a given sex. Boys learn to be boys and girls learn to be girls. This "learning" happens by way of many different agents of socialisation. The family is certainly important in reinforcing gender roles, but so are one’s friends, school, work and the mass media.
Doing gender is the idea whereby gender isn’t a biological feature but rather a social construct that has been built into our natural mindsets; and is conveyed in everyday social interactions. Examples of facilitating the concept of “doing gender” include Public toilets, organized sport and the division of labour in the work place. Another way of defining the concept of ‘doing gender’ is to describe it as the “development of ‘gender identity’” (1). This is the process in which one feels as though they fit into a specified gender class.
In this study they tested the idea of ‘nature or nurture’ when it comes to gender identity. The researcher that began this experiment was psychologist John Money. Money told David Reimer's parents to raise him as a girl. David became Brenda, had a constructed vagina and took hormone pills his whole childhood. When it was time for Brenda to check in with Money, Brenda's twin brother would come to the visits as well.
From the very beginning of our lives, a majority of us are told or taught upon by cues on how to act according to our gender. Saying that if one wants to perform gender right, than girls should act a certain way, while boys act another. In,“Night to His Day,” Judith Lorber discuses how the formation of gender begins, “For the individual, gender construction starts with the assignment to a sex category on the basis of what the genitalia look like at birth” (Lober 1994:55). Solely based off the genitalia, it will be determined if the child is a boy or a girl; from their parents will dress their child in a certain way to make that gender prevalent to an outsider.
The parents assume their children will even identify as their assigned sex at birth and not identify as a separate gender later in life, with the distinction “sex being physical and gender being social” (Henthorne 2012:45). Gender exists solely
Research has shown that our gender and race are two factors that heavily shape our lives. While many people in our society tend to ignore how these two factors play a role in their life, I will be further exploring how they have impacted my life personally. With that said I will incorporate how gender norms and gender socialization have shaped my life and identity as a woman, as well as how my race of being a white person has shaped my life chances and opportunities. Gender norms and socialization structured many aspects of my life and allowed myself to have the gender identity of a woman. Over the past 19 years, I have followed certain gender norms that are commonly associated with identifying as a woman.
Psychologists are debating and trying to figure out whether the social identity theory, a theory developed by Tajfel Turner (1979) for the examination of intergroup relations, is a robust way of explaining behaviour. There has been many research studies in the past that proves that it is a robust way of explaining behaviour. Social identity theory explains human behaviours such as in-group favouritism, and ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is the act of believing that one’s social group is centrally important, and that all other groups are below them on the social pyramid. In this case, one will judge other groups on their ethnic group, language, religion and behaviour.
1) Introduction. Based on the information from your textbook, briefly summarize the Social Learning Theory of Gender and include the possible influences of gender development. (one paragraph) Social Learning Theory of Gender is when children learn the behaviors that are acceptable to their specific gender. The basic society’s rules that govern the behaviors of individuals at such a young age to act accordingly.
His sense of attaining masculinity is fuelled by an indomitable desire to rise above his father’s spendthrift, lazy, ineffectual and effeminate character and he associates violence, haughtiness, and aggression as the only set of emotions to be displayed for expressing true masculinity. He beats his wives and threatens to kill women.