25 Jul 2022

173

Sex and Gender:The Social Construction of Gender

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Academic level: High School

Paper type: Assignment

Words: 1084

Pages: 4

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The main topic of evaluation is sex and gender. The authors start by explaining the standard view of majority people about gender. The society assumes that the concept is bred in two genes-male and female. As a result, people find it hard to understand the idea of constructing and reconstructing human interaction (Lorber & Farrell, 1991, p. 112). The authors explain that no matter how much we try to avoid the topic, it is a familiar and recurrent part of our lives. Unlike the traditional days, gender roles have changed in today's society. Fathers are taking care of their children, women are taking the same jobs as men, and school children are wearing unisex clothing. The stratification system is common in our communities in that men are ranked higher than women even if they belong to the same class or race. The explanation answers the question of why men have maintained a higher hierarchy than women over the years. The primary solution is changing the way people view gender in our community.

We Are All Work in Progress 

The article argues about the acceptance of trans people. The aim is to help build coalitions among all global communities. The author starts by giving her examples of being a trans person. Leslie notes that people should be given freedom to choose "between pink or blue tinted gender categories (Feinberg, 1998, p.193). "In her story, she explains how she once suffered from endocarditis, and she had to undergo a physical examination. When the doctor realized that Freiburg was anatomically female, he chased her out of the hospital. The narrator explains how the prejudices posed against transgender people affect their lifestyles. Answering the question "which sex are you" is among the hardest questions for the trans people (Feinberg, 1998, p.195). In all cases, answering whether one is a man or a woman does not provide relief to the questioner. The main concern is that people should sharpen their minds regarding how they treat others based on gender, race, and even economic status. People should be ready to struggle on each other's behalf.

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The Story of Baby X 

The journal is an exciting story of a child named X. It was named X so that other people could tell whether it was a boy or a girl (Gould, 1972, p.1). The letter X is deliberately used throughout the article. The story is written to influence the reader's behavior regarding gender inequality. People are threatened by things that they cannot place a label or identity because it is part of human nature to characterize elements. In the story, there is a scientist group that tries to find the right parents to raise baby X. For a couple to qualify they have to disregard all the social norms associated with childbirth and upbringing. When in school, the parents were forced to tell whether the baby was a boy or a girl but they could not, hence the child was expelled (Gould, 1972, p.3). The main issue of concern is how X parents manage to raise the child in a society designed for males and females.

Gould addresses the issue of gender identity in our community. It is common that from the moment parents realize they are expecting a baby; most people want to know whether it is a boy or a girl. Most traditions also hold that when a baby is born, the mother starts by announcing the gender. Gender in today's society determines where one goes to school, what one wears, how one acts and feels. Raising a gender-neutral child requires one to ignore the prejudice and opposing statements from society. In a community where gender seems to predetermine one's future, it is hard for trans people to conform. Parents can change their children's perception of what is acceptable. People should do away with the invisible lines of what gender allows one to do.

Brothers, Sisters, Sons & Daughters 

The film is used to create awareness on the issue of transgender people and their rights. It stars seventeen transgender models who are photographed in black and white. Dennis Freeman who came up with the campaign idea says that the primary goal was to fight for the rights of marginalized communities under which these models belong (Craft, 2015). Freeman notes that lesbians and gay individuals are gaining acceptance while the transgender communities continue to suffer. The media is among the main contributors of this challenge in that their coverage of the trans issue is not comprehensive. In addition to shooting the film, the producers interview each model. The common idea is that for one to completely feel like part of society, it takes time. one of the models Arin Andrews say that he once asked his mother whether she knew "what transgender means (00:56)." The question reflects on some of the struggles faced before acceptance. Parents have a role to play in raising such children.

How to be a Girl 

The producer starts by narrating her story from a parent viewpoint. She explains how she gave birth to a boy who had inspiring female characters. She claims that, at the age of two, the child insisted on wearing only pink clothes (00:29). The boy also begged his mother to buy him dresses similar to those worn by his female classmates in school. One day, the boy told his mother that he was a girl and not a boy. His argument was that something had gone wrongs in his mother's womb during pregnancy. The boy wanted his mother to put him back to fix the mistake. The mother spent the other two years trying to explain to his son that he was a boy, not a girl. The video reflects on some of the challenges faced by transgender people and their families. The main issues include lack of knowledge or education on being transgender, explaining the idea to children, access to medical care among others. The media should lead society in solving these problems.

Conclusion 

The main topic of concern is sex and gender. Transgender people come from all walks of life. The community represents brothers, co-workers, parents, neighbors and friends to these people. The term transgender is used to refer to those people whose identity cannot be based on sex. The term has become common in modern society although people who would fit under this categorization have existed since the early times. Learning institutions and workplace environments are the primary areas where gendered norms and expectations are enforced. In most of these settings, gender ranks men above women. However, there is room for self-modification as well as institutionalized modification.

Transgender people face unique challenges. One of them is the lack of legal protection. Most governments offer free education and employment opportunities based on binary gender characterization, but there are no comprehensive rules on how transgender people should be treated. Lack of protection translates to high levels of poverty that mainly result from unemployment. Other challenges include discrimination, stigma, violence and barriers to healthcare. The community members need to sharpen their views on how the police, courts, learning institutions and workplaces react toward this problem. The society has what it takes to halt discrimination and marginalization of these individuals.

References

Craft, K. (2015). Transgender Models and the Barneys Spring 2014 Ad Campaign: The ‘New Look’of Exclusivity for Industrialized Luxury.

Feinberg, L. (1998). Trans liberation: Beyond pink or blue . Beacon Press.

Gould, L. (1972). X: A fabulous child’s story.

Lorber, J., & Farrell, S. A. (1991). The social construction of gender. Newbury Park , 5 .

Mack, M. (2015). How to be a Girl: Sex and Gender. People & Blogs. 

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StudyBounty. (2023, September 16). Sex and Gender:The Social Construction of Gender.
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