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.
Wig,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your points about the limiting (and thus unjust and repressive) nature of gender labeling. Except for the construction in last point you bring up ... :
"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."
I can totally identify with your feeling, BUT we must not forget that WE ARE the components of society. Society is not some "thing" outside of us as a people that governs our lives - because society IS the people. We mustn't talk of a "we" and make society a foreign "it" because WE ARE IT.
Once we as individuals come to terms with this fact and take responsibility of our part and role in society, we can do a little introspection and adjust our behavior accordingly.
If everyone actually does this (and say, corrects his or her tendency to assume that a professor is a white male/ assume that only women can be cheerleaders/ assume that only males can make competent engineers/ assume that only women can bake a good cake) we can correct the problems of gender definitions in society.
Gandhi : "be the change you wish to see in the world"
Actually Lorber did not write the short story about "X"--that was actually NOT part of the assigned reading, but I find it fascinating that many students have responded to the story.
ReplyDeleteThe Lorber reading begins with the words "Reading 18" and then the title of the piece with the author's name.