Socially Constructed

Another interesting concept came up today is class that I think most people when they hear of it, associate it with one thing. The concept of gender, like race and ethnicity, is viewed as a biological factor in many cultures historically speaking. When asked, “What is gender?” most responses would be referred towards genitalia, dress or perception based off of mannerisms. In reality, gender is not associated with aspects of sex, such as biological and genetic factors. Gender evolves and is created and recreated out of human interaction, social life and emotion. This human production develops gender as way of life instead of what is perceived or what you were born with. Growing up, men and women are taught how to act, dress, and present yourself. Men are taught to me tough and show little emotion because it is a sign of “weakness.” Women, however, are delicate, loving and affectionate. We are taught on how we are “suppose to act” according to the environment and culture values.  Tertiary sex characteristics are taught with regards on being masculine or feminine. As a society, we feel uncomfortable until we categorize a person that meets the requirements of the “superior group.” If we can’t put them into a category, we feel the individual is socially dislocated until resolved. Religion, law, and science legitimate this process of gendering and its outcome and societies outline the set of values. Some of the characteristics that were presented such as rules of gender on how women should act and how men should act is completely developed by our own cultures.  I think this is one of the topics, such as race, that makes most people feel a little uncomfortable to talk about. Especially when we talk about transgendered or transvestites.