Gender Roles example essay topic

The belief that gender roles are inherently biological is a cultural fallacy, which can lead to an inability to effectively communicate when we do not assess each individual's personality. Research of this topic is necessary in order to learn how to completely understand how to communicate. When trying to communicate with an individual there are more variables than simply gender that need to be assessed. However, there are many ways that society implies that this is not necessary. Our society has been taught that gender roles are inherent, biological and behavioral characteristics. This belief is perpetuated through mass media, toys, clothing trends, advertisements, architecture, food and virtually everything else around us.

This process begins at birth and continues through adulthood. These gender roles that society has set before us before us can be demeaning and create obstacles as well. At this point, it is necessary to define the terms sex and gender as they will be used. The book 'Sex and Gender Differences in Personal Relationships' defines sex as "the biological distinctions between men and women", and gender as "the social, psychological and cultural differentiations between men and women (Canary and Emmers- Sommer p. 6)". This is one of the important factors to address because it proves the point that while there are obviously differences between men and women, everyone of the same sex cannot be specifically categorized. The definition of gender as used above, shows that there is a great possibility that not all women or all men are alike because they do not all share the same social, psychological and cultural experiences and therefore may communicate those feelings differently.

How we are Socialized These social, psychological and cultural experiences can be defined as socialization, which encompasses all the effects that influence our perspectives and behavior. If conforming to specific roles creates such problems, then why do these specifications persist? This question references the timeless 'nature versus nurture' paradigm. To describe the 'nature versus nurture' question it is necessary to take into account the study of semiotics. Semiotics is a science that is devoted to the study of all the things that influence our behavior and exposing hidden cultural interests. Semiotics also helps us understand why children receive the toys that that they do.

Toys play a large part into the socialization of gender roles. When giving a child a gift, we simply give them the type of toy that our culture deems it natural for that gender to be interested in. There is an episode of the sitcom 'Friends,' where the character Ross has a son who has a doll that he really likes to play with. The episode revolves around this child's father obsessing over what must be wrong with his son that makes him want to play with a doll and not the G.I. Joes he tries to give to him.

When you hear a phrase like "a woman's place is in the home", it is our culture trying to conceal a patriarchal interest behind the veil of "nature" and "commonsense". This concept is not strictly demeaning for women, it is the same principal that tells us that men are not supposed to show emotion or that if boys don't play sports than they aren't masculine enough. Thus, what is essentially commonsense is nothing more than a communal or habitual set of beliefs established by what we believe is the majority. So, if this belief seems to be held by the majority does that make it natural? When evaluating cultural practices it is necessary for one to take into account the potential cultural interests that lie behind it. Our society has quite obviously proclaimed itself a patriarchal one and therefore males have been socialized into the dominant, aggressive role while females are socialized to be passive and compassionate.

Many will argue that this is simply nature taking its course, however, it is quite possible to assume that if the tables were turned, the propagation of the species would ultimately continue. The belief that a man's place is in the office and a woman's place is in the home was a particularly strong cultural stereotype of the 1950's and 60's, but even now that we live in an environment that sometimes does endorse feminist consciousness the stereotype still persists. In many a television ad for home cleaning products, we still see only women featured using the product, and usually a few kids running around in the background. These kinds of ads indicate that although we have progressed a little from the cultural myths of the 50's and 60's women are still completely associated with being at home and in the kitchen.

The masculine aspect of this gender stereotyping continues as well. A recent ad for an oak furniture store featured a couple driving around and arguing about directions when the man suddenly stopped and happily replied "you " re right honey, I'll just go ask for directions" and the ad continued with the phrase "that's not natural... but Oak Express is! This ad proliferates the stigma that all men are too arrogant to admit they are wrong. It also references the cultural manipulation of condemning any practice deemed unnatural.