Are Gender Roles Forced Upon Us - 1435 Words

Are Gender Roles Forced Upon Us? In American culture in the 1950s, men were the predominant head of the household and women were expected to cook, care for their kids, and clean. This is an excellent example of gender roles, and how they control certain aspects of life. Gender roles are, according to multiple sources, the way people behave, what they do or say to express being a female or male. (â€Å"Gender Identity†; Blackstone; Understanding Gender) They are forced upon an individual from the day they are born even in the most trivial of terms of putting baby boys in blue clothes and baby girls in pink. Throughout that person’s life from then on, they will face cultural expectations every day to act according to their sex. Gender roles can often be confusing and hurtful,many stores are moving away from assigning products to a specific gender, but not only can gender roles affect a person’s behavior, it can play a huge role in transgenderism. Many people confus e the definition of gender and sex. â€Å"Gender, on the other hand, refers to the meanings, values, and characteristics that people ascribe to different sexes. Sex is a biological concept, determined on the basis of individual s primary sex characteristics.† (Blackstone) Society gives social cues on the appropriate behavior for each sex. For example, women are to exert more feminine traits such as being dependent, emotional, passive, innocent, nurturing, and/or self-critical. On the contrary, men should be moreShow MoreRelatedAre Gender Roles Forced Upon Us?1482 Words   |  6 PagesAre Gender Roles Forced Upon Us? Remember the 50s in America, how men were the predominant head of the household and women were expected to cook, watch their kids, and clean? This is an excellent example of gender roles, and how they control some aspects of life. Gender roles according to multiple sources are, the way people behave, what they do and say, to express being a female or male. (â€Å"Gender Identity†, Blackstone, Gender Spectrum). They are forced upon an individual from the day thatRead MoreReligion, Religion And Religion Essay1690 Words   |  7 PagesIn Western society, religion plays a vital role in maintaining traditionalism. For instance, growing up as a Christian, I was taught that God loves everyone and forgives us of our sins, but he also condemns homosexuality and gives the consequence for such a lifestyle. Leviticus 20:13 mentions that â€Å"If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood {shall be} upon them†. Basically, I believe that the BibleRead MoreEssay A Western Identity Crisis739 Words   |  3 Pagesimmigrants and is known for its population from a wide array of cultural backgrounds. Living in a westernized society that is so diverse, we are forced to choose an identity for ourselves at one point or another in our lives. Some choose to identify by their outer qualities, while others may identify by their inner qualities. One may identify by their looks, gender, sexuality, political views, or their beliefs. Some may have an identity that is dynamic and ever changing depending on the events faced inRead Moregender socialization992 Words   |  4 Pages Gender: Forced Upon American Society Growing up, many Americans childhood consisted of playing tag outside, having cooties, and experimenting with as many toys as possible. Hundreds of thousands of toys flood kid stores such as Toys R Us, Baby Depot, and KB toys. With imagination, kids are able to become doctors, presidents, and princesses during the contents of one day. Television shows such as Barney or Blues Clues encourage having such imagination, thus inspiring kids to want to becomeRead MoreFreedom, A Birth-Given Entitlement Or A Manmade Privilege?1717 Words   |  7 Pagesneither is the appropriate answer. Freedom is defined by the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint; everyday women are silenced for speaking out or are frowned upon for being independent by not submitting to the heavy-weight of the set standards placed upon their shoulders. Over the centuries, the proposal of women having any rights remained a constant battle that appeared to not have any pre-dest ined ending. In the intervening time that Charlotte PerkinsRead More The Impact of Social Idealogy on Virginia Woolfs To The Lighthouse1179 Words   |  5 Pages This can cause certain groups within a text to be empowered while the other groups are marginalised and constrained by the social restrictions placed upon them by the ideology. In the novel To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, Woolf shows us an awareness of gender politics during the 1920 ¹s Britain by subverting the traditional gender roles but at the same time naturalises notions of class causing certain groups to be constrained.    In the novel Woolf subverts the patriarchial portrayalRead MoreGender, Gender And Sex Are Completely Different Entities919 Words   |  4 PagesContrary to popular belief, gender and sex are completely different entities. Many people live their lives believing the gender and sex are tied to each other. This belief has brought specific gender roles into fruition. In western societies like that of the United States, this diversion can be examined in the nurseries of hospitals. Upon birth, babies do not necessarily have facial feature that define their but female babies are swaddled in pink blankets and males in blue. While many individualsRead MoreTaking a Look at Gender Bias703 Words   |  3 Pagesfashion upon something that is common as well as a true observation, but I do not believe each human being is but a collection of stereotypes. Such as African American and poor, Caucasian and privileged, or Gay and fabulous. I hate to see enforced stereotypes. Meaning those situations within everyday communication or interaction that forces an individual no matter their gender or gender identification to take part in, pressured into, or ridiculed for not participating in so called â€Å"gender norms†Read MoreSocial Construction Theory And Gender Roles1179 Words   |  5 Pagesargues that gender roles, behaviours, and differences are not the natural consequence of minor biological differences, but are instead the result of historical, economic, and cultural forces which have pushed women into social and economic roles and men into others. It sees biology as providing the raw materials, and sees social institutions, culture, history and individual agency as what shape those raw materials into human beings who also happen to be gendered as men, women, and other genders† ( KlementRead MorePersonal Narrative: My Experience with Gender Roles Essay642 Words   |  3 PagesPersonal Narrative: My E xperience with Gender Roles A secret agent. A professional football player. A fire fighter. These would have been my responses when asked that inevitable question, What do you want to be when you grow up? Family, Media and Peers are said to have influenced my views concerning the role I am to play society. All of these factors had one thing in common. They all were influencing me to behave according to my gender. Everything from the clothes I wore to the toys I