...Introduction In America, socialization is used as a method of instruction. It can not only assist in teaching a person life lessons of etiquette that will ensure an easy insertion or reception into society, but will also discipline a growing individual in customs, education, and culture necessary for survival. Here, however, we will focus on the socialization of gender roles and the expectations which constitute gender roles, including methods and agents of socialization, as well as some of the effects it has on certain individuals. By being conscious of these details, one will be better equipped to understand societal expectations, and be versed to make informed decisions of how to rear your children, especially if your child or children self-identify as being homosexual because the socialization of gender roles in the United States causes confusion amongst or conflict within homosexuals as a result of gender role expectations and the gender roles they assume and find to be natural. Defining Gender To begin with, gender is defined as a social structure that is culturally or socially engineered and was devised in the early hunter-gatherer age (Connell). It emphasizes the distinctions between “females and males found in the meanings, beliefs, and practices associated with ‘femininity’ and ‘masculinity’” (Kendall 2012). Informally, says the World English Dictionary, “it is the state of being male, female, or neuter” or “any of the categories, such as masculine, feminine...
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...Thomas Folsom 2/27/2015 Soc 1 Application 1 Toys and Socialization As I walk down the toy aisles in toys R Us, I notice that there is a large sign above the aisles saying boys. This aisle contains ninja turtles, WWE wrestlers, sports cars, dump trucks, motorcycles, and toy weapons of all sorts. The colors of blue, green, red, and yellow cover the aisles all darker shades of the color. All of the boy’s toys are very masculine. The next aisle I walk through is the girls section, this aisle is covered with dolls, princesses, cute animals, dresses, wands, small sized cleaning equipment and drawing boards. All of these toys are light blue, bright pinks all of these very feminine. The children in America learn stereotypes in gender roles through gender socialization. This is a sequence of adapting to the culture roles according to your sex, this starts at birth and will continue throughout life. Toys are very gender specific, because they teach and reinforce stereotypical gender roles for children. When we are first born children make an image of themselves as a boy or girl. We do this so we can fit in with society so we can interact with parents and teachers. Children pay close attention to the gender appropriateness of toys only after they get a firm grasp on the concept of gender constancy. Gender constancy alludes to a child's understanding that gender remains the same for the rest of his or her life. Children become aware of the fact that they will always be male or female...
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...problems are closely related to societal issues such as unemployment, marriage, war and even the city life where the private troubles and the public issues become clearly apparent. With the understanding of the sociological imagination, I began to notice the daily choices I make, the classes I attend, the way I was raised by my parents, the group of people I choose to hang out with, the things I like to converse about with others are all somehow affected by public issues and what society tends to make us believe is right. There are many areas in my life where I feel that I am greatly affected by various sociological theories such as events dealing with gender and sexuality, family and culture, ethnicity and race, and social class and work. Even though our country supports equality in gender, differences still exist. This issue of gender and sexuality of our society has had one of the biggest impacts in my life since I was raised with five brothers. Since birth, I was immediately...
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...Running Head: SEX ROLES AND GENDER INEQUALITY Sex roles and Gender Inequality SEX ROLES AND GENDER INEQUALITY Introduction Sex is defined as the biological differences between a male and female. Gender, however, can be identified as the way society organizes understandings of sexual difference (Shaw & Lee, 2001). In this essay, I will try to discuss whether gender differences, and in turn inequality, is a creation of people and society or it is indeed the natural state with virtue of their sexual character. This essay, which is written under the guidance of Daniel Bosley, part-time lecturer at Maldives National University, will focus upon the formation of gender, sex roles, feminine and masculine character, gender stereotypes and how it leads to gender inequality. SEX ROLES AND GENDER INEQUALITY Formation of Gender: Feminine and Masculine As people live together in a society, different roles are taught based on their sex known as sex roles, not much different from social role and socialization. The way individuals of different sexes acquire these roles, also known as role learning or socialization, is important in understanding how sexual characters are formed. “Feminine character is produced by socialization into the female role, masculine character by socialization into the male role – and deviants by some kind of failure in socialization” (Connell, 1987). The sex roles are therefore a set of prescriptions, attributes and expectations...
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...Socialization Project I have lived in the same house my whole life. I grew up with a older sister who is two years older than me, and a younger brother who is three years younger than me. I also had grown up with both a mother and father. As you can see I was the middle child. When I was born my house was already filled with pink blankets, barbie dolls, and polly pockets but soon enough we had a house full of pink and blue, trucks and dolls. My mother was very open to the idea of me and my sister both playing with opposite gender toys. We were still young and both still developing into who we wanted to be. My father on the other hand was against me wanting to play with girl toys or do feminist activities. My father had an attitude and mindset a lot like the one Jackson Katz said most men in society have from the film Tough Guise . One story from my childhood that connects to my father having a strong sense of masculinity and trying to enforce them upon me as a child was when my sister was around 8 years old my mother was painting her nails. As a little kid I wanted to be a lot like my sister. My mother started painting my nails too and when my dad walked and saw what was going on he was very upset and took me and washed it all off. During the whole scene my father kept saying I wasnt a girl and nail polish is for girls and was really trying to turn me from the feminist idea of getting my nails polished. My father also had a strong sense of masculinity idea of competition...
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...Chapter 5: Gender Stratification by sex is a feature found in most societies, with men generally being in a more dominant position in society than women. Men have traditionally been seen in a wide range of active and creative roles – as warriors, hunters, and workers, as political leaders or successful business executives, as scientists, engineers, inventors, and great artists. Women have traditionally been seen as housewives and mothers confined to the home and caring for their husbands and children. Even when working outside the home, women's jobs often seem to be an extension of their caring role in the home, looking after others as receptionists, secretaries, nurses, teachers, and social workers. Are these differences simply an extension of the biological make-up of males and females, or are they a product of the ways that males and females are brought up in society? (Nature vs. Nurture) SEX AND GENDER • Sex: (whether someone is male or female) refers to the natural or biological differences between men and women, such as difference in genitals, internal reproductive organs, and body hair. • Gender: (whether someone is masculine or feminine) refers to the cultural, socially constructed differences between the two sexes. It refers to the way a society encourages and teaches the two sexes to behave in different ways through socialization. • Gender role: is the pattern of behavior and activity which society expects from individuals of either...
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...Research Paper Gay Parenting and Assisted Reproductive Techniques: A Symbolic Interactionist Perspective Introduction Gay rights have become a prevalent issue within the last decade. In the United States, gay marriage has been legalized in five states. With this has come a flurry of accompanying issues that must be addressed, this includes gay and lesbian fertility rights. Many gay and lesbian couples undergo assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) in order to have children. In the United States, fertility clinics are privatized, this means, among other things, that doctors have the right to pick and choose whom they take on as patients. There is no guarantee for gay couples seeking fertility treatment; many couples trying to have a baby are turned away based on how a doctor feels about same sex families. As it stands, no physician or hospital receiving government funding can discriminate against a patient based on his or her race, color, religion or national origin (Appel, 2006). It goes against the human rights of the potential patient to discriminate against them based on their sexual orientation. How do anti gay legislation further conceptualize the idea the nuclear family? Using a Symbolic Interactionist perspective, this paper looks at how gay and lesbian families use family symbols and rituals as strategies to negotiate family identity in interactions with families of origin, social network members, and community institutions, as well as challenge hetero-normative...
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...Gender And Its Social Unstoppable Construction Abstract This paper provides information about the social construction of gender. Research from seven different journal articles organized into the categories of children, men, women, and the culture of Bugistribe, Indonesia.The understanding of gender roles is evident in children, even at the age of three years old. Studies show that parent’s set unclear norms regarding gender roles, which confuses kids. Moreover, there is historical background on social construction and women. The importance of the role of beauty in the female gender role showing how young women are being more sexualized. Also, the role of eating disorders in men and women’s genders is addressed. Men’s struggle with masculinity in present society as well as fear of feminism is talked about. Finally, the Bugis tribe, located in South Sulawesi, Indonesia is studied. Their five separate genders show a fascinating look at social construction. Gender And Its Social Unstoppable Construction Gender is an extremely captivating concept. The social construction of gender is an extensive and complicated subject. Looking at the views children have of gender roles shows social construction. Studying how women’s gender roles are socially constructed with feminine behavior is very interesting. Also is fascinating how men attempt to balance and uphold masculinity. Finally, gender in other cultures, specifically the Bugis tribe of Indonesia, have extremely different takes...
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...How Society Works – Lecture Notes Sep, 11, 2012 Introduction to Classical Social theory * “Theories in sociology are abstract, general ideas that help organize and make sense of the social world” (attempt to link idea’s with actual events) * Classical social theory (1840s – 1920s) – The enlightenment, political revolution (American revolution, French revolution), the industrial revolution * American and French revolution inspired more widespread adoption of democratic principle and rights of citizens * Industrial revolution caused dramatic, rapid urbanization, changes in family relations, gender relations, increased secularization * Classical social theorist and macro and micro theorists – macro are interested are in social theory that can explain huge social phenomenon’s (past and future), micro are interested in smaller scale phenomenon’s * Emile Durkheim was a positivist, saw society as analogous to a body, concerned with social solidarity, and developed the idea of the ‘social fact’ * Social Solidarity: division of labour Organic: present in modern societies, high dynamic density, high degree of labour specialization (works like a human body, everything works together with high specialization) Mechanical: present in traditional societies, low dynamic density , low degree of labour specialization (works like gears, works together to complete society) * Similarities of Social Solidarity: Conscience collective similar ideas...
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...Violent Children The kitchen floor is shinny with the glow of a fresh mop job. The tall, slender mother stands and chops carrots for dinner. The small child clings to her apron as he sits on the floor with his toy car clinched in his tiny fingers. Chaos is emanating as the mouse, which lives in the floorboard, scampers across the room. Immediately following is Cleo, the family cat, close on the heels of this furry creature’s tail. Just before Cleo reaches his supposed midday snack, the mouse pulls out a mallet and bashes him on the head! A child is watching his favorite cartoon. A commercial interrupts with pictures of weight-loss gimmicks as 1-800 numbers flash across the screen. Now that the show is over the child jumps up and runs about in a state of bliss hitting things the way that his favorite character did. This scene is all too familiar to parents of young children. What is it that causes children to act in such ways? Can we arguably say that the violence on television has no effects on the minds of children? I would like to pose that there is indeed a positive correlation between these two categories. Aggressive or violent television shows cause children to act in aggressive ways. Aggressive and/or violent can be defined as the act of initiating hostilities or invasion, or acting with, or resulting from great force.(Webster Dictionary) Research has shown there is a strong connection between violent television and aggressive children. During the time that...
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...The influence of media on gender roles Over the last forty years, the gender roles for male and female have changed quite a bit. In the past, women were often viewed as having to assume the duties of the housewife, while the men are the breadwinner in the family. However, these stereotypical views of men and women alike have changed over time to shape the present. Firstly, in attempt to define the meaning of a stereotype Wikipedia (2009) notes that: “Stereotype is a preconceived, oversimplified, exaggerated, and often demeaning assumption of the characteristics possessed by an individual due to his or her membership in a specific group. [It] usually functions to deny individuals respect or legitimacy based on their membership in that group. They are the hardest to dislodge in situations where a dominant group desires to keep another group subordinate”. The purpose of this essay is to generate an understanding of how gender roles are shaped and defined in society due to an overwhelming amount of stereotyping and the influence of the mass media that has left an undeniable impact on our everyday life. When talking about gender, we are referring to “culturally learned notions of masculinity and femininity” (Tepperman et al., 2007, p. 187). As noted by Tepperman (2007), “From a social standpoint, gender is the social enactment of a biological difference.” The result of this is males are treated as men because they play masculine roles, and females are treated as women because...
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...Gender Gap 1 The Elementary Gender Achievement Gap ED5504 Gender Gap 2 Abstract The gender achievement gap has been written about, studied, and defined. This gap exists. It exists in the educational system and in the workplace. It begins in elementary school and continues through higher education. The gender gap can be attributed to many problems. These problems include cultural, socioeconomic, educator expectations, and student environment. Gender Gap 3 Gender equity happens when there is no difference in student achievement in relation to classroom teaching and school environment. Many factors play into the gender achievement gap. Cultural factors, race, and discrimination are part of...
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...A foremost feminist Ann Oakley distinguishes between sex and gender where she says, ‘‘sex’ is a biological term: ‘gender’ a psychological and cultural one. Common sense suggest that they are merely two ways of looking at the same division and that someone who belongs to, say, the female sex will automatically belong to the corresponding (feminine) gender. In reality this is not so. To be a man or a woman, boy or a girl, is as much a function of dress, gesture, occupation, social network and personality, as it is of possessing a particular set of genitals.’ (Oakley, 1972:158). Sex as Oakley said refers to the biological difference of being a male or female which can be usually fixed, while gender is the cultural differences between men and women in the society and it can change over time. In societies women and men are expected to behave in ways which are usually expected of them. The differences with sex and gender yet, the perception have different connections. This means despite the fact that sex is biological and gender is social, social definitions are often given to biological attributes, and indeed, most social connotations arise from biological attribute. For example, the reference to women as the weaker sex has a biological base their possession of less physical strength relative to men. Analysing the statement made by Marchbank and Letherby (2007) which says, ‘Sex is deemed to be natural whereas gender is seen as the social expression of natural, biological differences...
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...Introduction To Sociology II notes by Mutangi G T Sociology is the study of human social life. Because human social life is so expansive, sociology has many sub-sections of study, ranging from the analysis of conversations to the development of theories to try to understand how the entire world works. This chapter will introduce you to sociology and explain why it is important, how it can change your perspective of the world around you, and give a brief history of the discipline. History Sociology is a relatively new academic discipline. It emerged in the early 19th century in response to the challenges of modernity. Increasing mobility and technological advances resulted in the increasing exposure of people to cultures and societies different from their own. The impact of this exposure was varied, but for some people included the breakdown of traditional norms and customs and warranted a revised understanding of how the world works. Sociologists responded to these changes by trying to understand what holds social groups together and also explore possible solutions to the breakdown of social solidarity. Early Sociological Studies Early sociological studies considered the field to be similar to the natural sciences like physics or biology. As a result, many researchers argued that the methodology used in the natural sciences were perfectly suited for use in the social sciences, including Sociology. The effect of employing the scientific method and stressing empiricism was the...
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...George Halifax (1660) once said “Education is what remains when we have forgotten all that have been taught.” In the simplest term education is a form of acquiring knowledge, skills, values and norms that are transferred from one generation to the next through training and teaching. Formal and informal are the two main categories of education, parents are said to be a child’s first teacher, this indicate informal education starts at home as a way of passing on the ways and expectations of society to children (socialization). Formal education usually takes place in an institution such as school, college and universities, although in The U.S.A and other developed countries it can be done at home, the tool of operation for formal education is a recognised curriculum. In Britain formal education was made accessible to the masses through the 1944 Education Act with the aim to give every pupil an equal chance to develop their ability. Previously formal education in Britain was available only to the upper and middle classes of society who could afford it. Even so there different school for each class with different ambitions: The upper classes attended Public schools that was to train them in preparation for leadership of society whiles the middle classes attended grammar schools that prepare them to manage industries. The working class receive very minimal education often run by churches (class note). It is not surprising, that the aim of education has proved to be an issue of...
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