Gender Reflection

As a result of reading the article about the social construction of gender, I have gained a deeper understanding of the effect society can have on classifying gender roles, and furthermore, how easily gender can change. Lorber teaches us that "...gender construction starts with assignment to a sex category on the basis of what the genitalia look like at birth" (122). Before a person can even utter words, a gender role is given to them based on physical appearance. Classifying people solely on their appearance can have detrimental effects in the long run. History teaches us this repeatedly through processes like the civil rights movement and the women's rights movement.
Through using the character X, Lorber posits clearly why generalizing someone into a specific category can be harmful. X enjoys doing things that stereotypically males and females like to do. Moreover, X is very skilled and has a lot of fun doing things that both males and females like to do. As a result, "X is having twice as much fun as we are" (120). I believe a lot can be learned from this X example. Through X's story, I have learned that limiting one's self only limits the range of one's possibility. The reality is that many aspects make up who we are as individuals. If we let society dictate who we are by labeling who we are and placing ourselves in a bubble, we will never reach our full potential.