Reflective Paper Assignment

The concept of gender equality is a constant feature in formal and informal discussions, campaigns and policies. Being a woman or a woman is highly definitive as it establishes the roles each person is assigned as well as how they are to relate or communicate. For many years, both men and women have advanced both feminine and masculine causes in order to achieve an egalitarian society or glorify one gender over the other. In this case, there have been profeminist and antifeminist movements depending on the founder's agenda. At the end of it, a lot more needs to be done before men and women can be treated equally owing to differences in opinions and cultural underpinnings and stereotypes. The course on gender communication has established that several events have helped in shaping the question of gender roles, identity, and expression.

The extent to which this course has enhanced my knowledge and skills with regard to gender communication 

The course on gender communication has been quite insightful as it has enhanced my skills and knowledge. Prior to the course, I had no idea that men and women are in perpetual war s neither gender is willing to let the other have domination. Contrary to what I thought that gender equality is possible, I have now learned that this concept is just a mirage. The reason why gender equality will never be is the fact that men and women are pushing for selfish agendas. The men feel that they have to make sure that they return to the traditional set up where the men were leaders and women followed without question. In the traditional setup, the men were then able to influence their sons to be more masculine as they worked near their homes (Fixmer-Oraiz and Wood, 2016). On the other hand, the women feel that they have been relegated to lighter duties yet they can do more. Interestingly, I have learned that there are men out there who support their women colleagues by realizing that gender equality is the solution to modern challenges. These men advocate for a more inclusive society which values the contribution of all of its members no matter their gender.

Gender communication is about how cultures define how men and women ought to treat one another. The society has continually defined the role of each gender through stereotyping. In this case, men are considered more energetic, brave and breadwinners, something that puts them out in the open. On the other hand, women are considered as caregivers and homemaker something that makes them invisible. Feminism movements are about doing away with the persistent cultural underpinnings with the aim of creating a more egalitarian society. However, I have realized that in as much as such movements are noble they threaten the society’s core fabric. If women were to get more empowered, it would tilt the existing balance as it will lead to power struggles. Neither the men nor the men will value the other and this will translate to an unstable future for the upcoming generations. It is for this reason that antifeminist campaigners prefer for the status quo. These movements feel that by empowering men, men are being devalued leading to a new form of inequality (Fixmer-Oraiz andWood, 2016). The conflicting perspectives have helped me to understand the magnitude of gender connotation in terms of what each of the party stands to lose or to gain from the gender debate.

Explanation on whether my perspective on gender and communication changed as a result of this course 

My perspective on gender and communication has changed to a great degree as I have now come to realize the power struggles therein. Previously I thought that women were the only individuals concerned with the concept of gender considering they have been victims of gender stereotypes. This course has taught me that men too have been working hard to remain visible as they are now feeling threatened. The thing that has changed my perspective more is the realization that gender studies are not feminine but masculine too. Gender studies seem to be more feminine leaning considering that women efforts have been capitalized and overemphasized. Hearing of masculine studies has made to realize that there is a different perspective on the question of gender. Initially, I felt that men had it all and did not require to fight for anything in the prevailing gender equality struggles. However, the course has changed this perspective now that men are fighting for what is rightfully theirs. Men have realized that women empowerment is about to relegate them to the background something that would affect their masculinity. It is for this reason that antifeminist movements such as Fathers for Justice, and Free Men are advancing masculine causes. The antifeminists give the example of child custody where the court system seems to fall in favor of women when awarding child custody. Owing to this inequality, the movements are calling for a quick return to traditional setups where men were “tough, rugged, invulnerable, and self-reliant” (Fixmer-Oraiz and Wood 2016). Only then will the men feel secure since women empowerment has reached its ceiling

The most significant insight this course has provided me 

This course has given me varied insights when it comes to the question of gender and communication. One of the most valued insight so far is the fact that no matter the progress that has been made to achieve gender equality, it will never happen. The reason gender equality will never happen is not that there are no efforts or goodwill for it to happen but because of the deep cultural underpinnings. Consider it this way, men and women are a product of this culture which has continued to define what it means to be a man or a woman. The culture has definitive roles, communication patterns, and behaviors, which have been assigned. For example, men are considered strong, brave, and logical while women are considered emotional, weak, and dependent. The gender movements have tried to break the cultural underpinnings without success as they are deeply seated and ingrained in individuals’ minds. Attempts to try and change the status quo has, in turn, lead to intensive and heated debates which threaten the desire for an egalitarian society. In the end, gender cannot be redefined and individuals have to ride along with the traditional connotations and underpinnings.

Gender communication is an important area of study as it sheds more light on the concept of gender as tied to communication and culture. Gender is a concept which is more of social as it establishes how individual relate as established by the existing cultural underpinnings. Traditionally, men and women are treated differently owing to their sexual differences, emotional makeup, and abilities. However, some individuals have been dissatisfied with this culture as it presents inhibitions to what one gender can or cannot do. On the other hand, as a section of individuals especially the anti-feminists would rather stay with the status quo as the change would threaten their authority. The conflicts that exist between pro and antifeminists point to the fact that gender equality is a mirage in spite of the numerous efforts to make it a reality. At the end of it, the women will be fit and strong enough to join the military yet they will end up doing clerical work. After all the women, do not have the nerve to stand in the line of fire during combat and the society believes they should not. This assumption is automatic as it is ingrained in our thoughts in as much we have come this far in terms of advocacy for an egalitarian society.

Reference

Fixmer- Oraiz, N., & Wood, J. T. (2016). Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture (13th ed.). New York: Cengage Learning.