In my women's studies class, I was required to respond to the content we went over in class and connect it to the readings we did.
In this article, I respond to the social expectancies placed on gender.
Summary Response
September 2019
In chapter three of Gendered Voices, Feminist Visions, the relationship between gender, culture, and biology is explained. Shaw and Lee communicate the idea that gender is a construct created by society, rather than something humans are born with. Gender is often perceived as a reflection of an individual’s appearance or behavior. The concept of gender is a byproduct of human interaction and social relationships, and has different connotations within every culture. For example, in America if an individual is submissive or nurturing they are associated with the term “feminine.” If an individual is skilled in athletics or displays strong leadership qualities they are labeled as “masculine.” Despite common assumptions and society’s constant desire to label humans into two categories, gender is a spectrum. However, the relationship between biology and culture is slightly more complex. While gender is understood to be a learned behavior, sex is a biological fact. A person’s sex is determined at birth based on their physical being. Modern American culture associates sex with gender. This implies that by being labeled as either male or female, a person is already placed in a psychological box of expectancies. These expectations and “social norms” greatly hinder the conquest of gender equality.
The 2011 documentary Miss Representation explores the ways in which the mass media negatively portrays women, contributing to their oppression. The media is a powerful aid in America’s system of gender inequality, in that it teaches society to judge women based off their appearance, not their intellect. Whereas men are judged on their policies, opinions and achievements. The media objectifies women, making them appear trivial in the intellectual world. From a young age girls are taught that their value comes from their physical appearance. As a result, women go their whole life trying to meet an impossible standard of “feminine” beauty. By putting such a great emphasis on femininity and sexuality, women become disempowered trying to live up to societies expectations of gender.
I have always felt most comfortable in clothes that allow me to easily maneuver my way around the world. As a teenager, loose fitted clothing and sneakers were a staple in my wardrobe. Whenever I was getting ready to head out the door my mother would always ask me, “Why do you have to wear such androgynous clothing?” This question was often followed by “you should show off your figure,” or “you dress like a boy.” These remarks always aggravated me, what I wear is a form of self-expression, not a tactic for attention. While I continued to wear my “boy clothes,” I have since associated the term androgyny with a negative connotation because in a way I felt I was not feminine enough and that was a bad thing. Androgyny means a lack of gender differentiation or a balanced mixture of feminine and masculine traits. As time goes on, societies perception of gender begins to widen. Men wear makeup, women buzz their hair off, baggy pants and a t-shirt is an acceptable outfit for anyone. While it is true these things have always been done, it can be said that in 2019 people are much more accepting of gender diversity.
When examining the world we live in, it becomes abundantly clear the role gender plays in the media, economics, education and so forth. Throughout history, masculinity has almost always been ranked higher than femininity. Although the modern world has a long way to go before true equality can be established, the idea of gender as a spectrum has become more widely acknowledged. It is my belief that eventually the human race will value people based on their character instead of their gender.
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