Gender Role In Today's Society example essay topic

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF GENDER Today's society plays a very important role in the construction of gender. Gender is a type of issue that has raised many question over the years in defining and debating if both male and female are equal. Today gender is constructed in four different ways. The first way gender is defined is by the family in which a child is raised. Second is the society in which a child interacts; makes friends and enemies. The third is our school system and our board of education.

And the last but not least is our own self conscious. Each of the above four ways have a unique way of molding and helping an individual define his / her gender. Lets take the first one in perspective. The family is a very important factor in defining our gender.

Our gender starts to define as soon as we are born. If a boy is born in a family, the family members would buy toys like monster trucks, race cars, action hero and toys that inspire a male behavior. As oppose to if a girl is born, the family members would buy dolls, and cute dresses, and stuffed bears. They would inspire her to behave soft and kind like a female should behave.

Parents would allow their sons to stay out late and be little more liberal on them. And they would not allow their daughter to stay our late and be a little strict. Dads would expect their sons to help him in the garage or another project around the house and moms expect their daughters to help them in kitchen. All of these characteristics are not unusual or our of ordinary, this has been the tradition for hundreds of ears and as far as I can see it will still remain the same. Society is a social factors that has many ways in which its mold a individual and defines his / her gender. Society includes your friends, mentors, enemies, and our co-workers and significant others.

If you are a boy you usually hand around with guys, playing football, basketball and other sports. A boy is expected to have "Macho ness " inside him when he grows up. If you are a girl, you would usually hang around girls, playing indoor games, watching soaps, and going shopping every now and them. Society expect a boy to be the solid figure in a family. A man who can earn the bread for the family and women to take care of kids and the house. Jobs out in our society defines gender.

Men are usually factory workers, electricians, mechanics, carpenters, farmers, or army men. The bottom line is, that a man is expected to have jobs that require more physical ability then jobs then women has. If we look back 20-30 years ago, not many women had jobs or financial responsibility. Today almost every women has a job and contributes toward their family's income.

But the jobs that they have can define gender. For example most female jobs include, nurse, clerks, teacher, maid, baby sitter, and others. But the point is that female oriented jobs are less physical and have more emotional ties to it then male jobs. The third factor that constructs gender is school and the educational system. This factor usually contributes during a teen year and in college or other educational system. In schools and colleges athletic department defines gender in the most obvious ways.

For example it is very highly unlikely to see a football team with female player / players in it. Yes, there are sports which has both male and female teams like tennis, soccer, basketball, baseball / softball. But male teams get more publicity and are backed up with a richer financial budget them female team. Homosexuality is highly discouraged in school and those who are homosexual are looked down and made fun of and neglected.

The last but the most critical factor that construct or gender role is our self conscious and the sense of being accepted. Ever since you are little child you have been molding yourself to become what the your family and society expects you to be. When you grow old you know exactly what defines masculinity and. If you are a male then you know that a single step toward would be disliked by the family and society members.

For example even though you had the slightest desire to put make upon or try female clothing you probably would not do it, jut because you know you would be laughed at. And not only that some people might just ask question your gender role. Iam not saying all males do what they are expected to do and all females do what they are expected to do. For example there are men who cross dress, who are professional nurses, there men who stay home and take care of kids and cooking while the women earn the bread and finances. But those male a are not necessarily looked upon as role model and ideals. They are not exactly what is expected out of a usual men and somehow our self conscious tell us not to be like them.

You won't see very many women acting like me neither. For example you won't see as many women wrestler as men, a women driving big motorcycles or women doing "Macho" activities. Their self conscious reminds them not to act like men do womanly jobs like take care of house and family. Most men and women know and think that if they don't act or behave to their expectations they will looked down upon and possibly neglected by their family and society. To avoid losing friends and family most male and female construct their own role in their life. The conclusion of this essay is that there are four prime factors that construct gender role in today's society.

They include our family, society, educational systems and self conscious. There are other cultural products that effect the gender within these four categories. For example the notion that women are physically and weaker then men and that they are much more emotional then men are. I think no one should be judged on what there gender.

The word "Gender" should be used less and less and individuals should be judged on their accomplishment and work rather then gender. Society have been defining and constructing gender for many years. But in 20th century we should all construct gender not according to what one can do and what not, but what mental qualities they have. We should define men as courageous and ambitious. Male gender should be define as father, son, and a leader, instead of someone who are physically stronger then women. Female gender should be define as mothers, sister and others who are caring, loving and care taking, instead of weak individuals.