Different communities have diverse ways, as well as cultural beliefs and practices (Le Espiritu, 2011). This varies from one country to another, where it is also possible to find different ethnic groups in one country hence having dissimilar norms and cultural practices. These cultures vary range from the rites of passage, ways of worship, marriage, eating behaviors and those that govern the way people are supposed to behave regarding age, gender, time and places. A culture is an essential tool in shaping a particular group of people and or an ethnic group.
Cultural practices are one of the major characteristics that define a community and distinguishes it from the other (Yick & Agbayani-Siewert, 2017). People vary in different in the way they approach some issues based on gender, education, healthcare, business, politics, rites of passage and religion. All of these activities constitute the definition of culture. Every culture, however, has its main significance to every community. It is from the cultural practices of a certain communities that ethics and customs are drawn from. There is need therefore to respect the different cultures around the globe. All cultures are important and hence every individual must respect the way of living for others regardless of gender. Age, ethnicity and race (Le Espiritu, 2011).
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Defining culture along gender line, it is important to note that different genders have different roles to attend to in society. These duties vary from one community to other. There is a certain way that one is supposed to behave or address one another in different times and contexts (Deutsch, 2013). There are feminine roles and duties along with the masculine duties it is only the males are supposed to excecute. Behaviors are also very different from one gender to another. There are also beliefs and stereotypes that are based on the different cultures from various parts of the world. Some of the gender designated role have advantages and disadvantages that tend to the rights of girls. Some cultural practices are oppressive to some sex, especially on females. Especially in the African culture, there are harsh customs and cultural tradition In some communities, some gender roles and behaviors are subjective on others and seem tto be superior to than others.
Gender philosophers argue that the differences in the culture divided along gender line is just social constructs and not a natural characteristics (Naples, 2012). There is no just way of being a man or a woman. This research paper will majorly address the gender and how different communities and cultures support, enforce or legislate gender roles and responsibilities in the society in the American culture. Sometimes it may seem difficult to accommodate a new culture, especially to the immigrants and foreigners into foreign countries. Especially, to those adopting new cultures for life by marriage, dual citizenship among other factors. The core aspect of cultural adoption is an appreciation of what others do differently (Deutsch, 2013).
Along gender line, there contemporary cultural issues in the American society (Yick & Agbayani-Siewert, 2017). There are various aspects in which cultural practices manifest itself such as domestic violence, violence in dating relationships and the gender tasks drawn within the structures of a family. This study, therefore, addresses the way in which a man and a woman are created, presented and understood in the American cultural systems. There are the contradicting popular cultures that are most respected in the American culture and the relationship with gender. The norms and values that define our culture have a great impact on our daily life because we have to live in this role. Following the level of democracy, the cultural values that used to limit the basic rights of the girl child in the community in which we live in have been shed. In the American culture, the democratic rights give every gender to exercise his or her rights and freedoms. There are however those roles in the community that are specifically for men and others for women. Such responsibilities are manifested in the domestic set up. Another field where this manifests is in the manual labor where you will find most the men in the industrial sectors operating heavy machinery and other tasks that require bigger muscles. The American democracy has grown that both genders to participate in social and economic activities (Le Espiritu, 2011).
In the emic perspective, the American culture seems to be limited and diluted by the grown democracy (Naples, 2012). Evry gender claims to have rights and freedoms which must be respected. This is very different from some cultures across the world where democracy has not grown. Especially in the Africa, most cultures tend to give the male gender much attention and subjective to the female gender. In fact, the girl child in the African was not entitled to some rights like the right to education and economic participation. It was until recently where several international agencies and voluntary organizations have come up to defend the girl child. Some of these barbaric practices are justified by culture, and every community has its own culture must be justified (Naples, 2012).
According to Sokoloff & Pratt (2015), the American cultures nearly observe equality and may seem to be eroding by other cultures in other parts of the world where cultural roots are strongly embedded. Girls share the same rights with the boy child; they can both participate in political, religious and economic activities in the community. In fact, there is quite a big number of women who are political leaders, state officers and others in high ranks in institutions in government organs, women in the in American have come out as activists to defend and advocate for their rights. This is rare in the others from across the world (Yick & Agbayani-Siewert, 2017). The American culture allows for women education, and in fact, the greatest woman artists and philosophers in the world come from America. This culture greatly empowers women and hence giving the equal opportunities together with their male counterparts in major aspects of politics and leadership, military and defense, science among others. There are however some cultures in some parts of America especially in places occupies by the native Americans where some cultural practices underscore the rights of women (Naples, 2012).
A girl child rarely gets the education and hence limiting her to compete for the excellent chances in the American economy. There are several factors that strengthen some of these outdated practices in the name of preserving cultures (Sokoloff & Pratt, 2015). Such factors include high poverty levels, illiteracy, unemployment and forced labor. They limit one to see the light and remains in the dark. In some other parts of the world, some countries have remained conservative to such practices that limit feminine gender to be treated the same as the masculine gender. Some cultures perceive the female gender to be inferior and not having equal opportunities as the males. Some cultures treat women as slaves or as entertainment items for the nobles. The general view, however, describes culture to be unique ranging from one community to another. If one happens to migrate to a new culture, he or she needs to learn and appreciate it. Every culture is significance and unique meaning. It is, therefore, to appreciate and respect different cultures for different groups in the society we live in despite their variations along gender dispensations (Deutsch, 2013).
References
Deutsch, S. (2013). No separate refuge: Culture, class, and gender on an Anglo-Hispanic frontier in the American Southwest, 1880-1940 . Oxford University Press on Demand.
Le Espiritu, Y. (2011). " We don't sleep around like white girls do": Family, culture, and gender in Filipina American lives. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society , 26 (2), 415-440.
Naples, N. (Ed.). (2012). Community activism and feminist politics: Organizing across race, class, and gender . Routledge.
Sokoloff, N. J., & Pratt, C. (Eds.). (2015). Domestic violence at the margins: Readings on race, class, gender, and culture . Rutgers University Press.
Yick, A. G., & Agbayani-Siewert, P. (2017). Perceptions of domestic violence in a Chinese American community. Journal of Interpersonal Violence , 12 (6), 832-846.
