Sex and Gender

                                     Homosexuality is a heated debate topic in this country, and will continue to be

The 3rd gender

The article From Mirror Self Recognition to the Looking- Glass Self talks a lot about how we perceive others, and what we think others think of us. Last week we talked about the actions we take in order to be a certain way, and this week we talked about a similar concept. Our discussion this week was not what we believe in how others think of us, but how society is trying to mold us into certain types of people. We all want to look masculine if we are guys or feminine if we are girls, but the ideas of masculinity, and feminism were created several thousand years ago. The Idea that men should be muscular and women should have big breasts in order to look attractive has been norms and staples for societies all over the world for centuries. Just like our surroundings telling us how to behave, the article talks about people having to justify their actions to others. The article states “When the actor sees their action as unjustified, they feel shame.” For example if someone is a homosexual, they might try to hide their sexual preference. This is because society tells us that being gay is wrong, and it is frowned upon.  This idea was first developed in religion. Most of the major religions forbid the act of homosexuality. Since most of the world follows one of the major religions, the vast majority of us don’t look favorably on gays.

            The video we watched about the 3^rd gender was very strange and a bit humorous to me. I couldn’t even begin to comprehend this mixed gender of man and women. While this person may have some good qualities of both genders, in our culture, we would find such a thing horrendous and sick. I also didn’t really know that there was a difference between Gender and Sex. I thought the two were interchangeable. As the video shows, they are clearly two different things. I found the part where the narrator stated “If we need more women in the house, then we take one of the boys and make them a woman” very funny. I can’t imagine my parents telling me something like “Okay son we need another person to take care of your brother so you are now a girl.” While I see this practice as cruel and wrong, if it works for the Samoans, then it’s fine. This topic could lead us into the discussion of how God meant for only two genders, and we are not supposed to just create a third.

            This is similar to our class discussion today where we talked about feminist and women’s rights. We also talked about what feminine characteristics and masculine characteristics are, and how we are starting to integrate both aspects into both genders. While I think some of them are fine, like men crying some times and women participating in sports, I do think there needs to be a separation between the two. If we allow men to take on women’s characteristics, and vice versa we may end up only having one gender. I’m probably exaggerating, and it could actually be a good thing to mix into the other gender’s characteristics. There was an article on Yahoo today about a high school girl in Florida who was one of the top 100 players in the country. Not only is this female playing a male dominated sport, but she is also excelling at it, and was able to throw an 87mph fastball! The best part was that she was willing to cross the boundaries, and venture into something that she might be thought of as less attractive, or more masculine.

            We also did a worksheet this week focusing on the differences between males and females, and how each one comes about. I never really thought of gender as a mindset, but I can see how it kind of is. Girls, for example are taught at a very young age to like Barbie dolls, makeup, and the color pink. Boys are into sports, cars, and electronics. This was apparent in the toysrus activity. I remember when I was ten, my mother made me take piano lessons. I hated the idea and insisted on guitar. I was so resistant because I saw the piano as a feminine instrument, and the guitar was as male an instrument as it got. The article about the looking glass self also talks about how we give reasons to act a certain way. Our society may do things according to the status quo just because they do not want to be seen as different. Erving Goffman talks about how “Self consciousness is involved in using a disclaimer as a shield.” “I often say things like I’m not sure” or “I think”. Similarly when it comes to the status quo, we cannot break it or our shield will break apart and we will take on criticism. The article states that “The large scale systems of justification we call culture emerges with successive generations.” Similarly, our culture cannot be changed, and nor can the way we see gender and Sex. I do believe however that some of our customs are changing. Men are no longer the dominant member of many households. In my house for example, my mother has complete authority, and whatever she says my father must agree with. If we take a vote, I, my brother, and father each have one vote, and my mother has four votes.

           

The article From Mirror Self Recognition to the Looking- Glass Self talks a lot about how we perceive others, and what we think others think of us. Last week we talked about the actions we take in order to be a certain way, and this week we talked about a similar concept. Our discussion this week was not what we believe in how others think of us, but how society is trying to mold us into certain types of people. We all want to look masculine if we are guys or feminine if we are girls, but the ideas of masculinity, and feminism were created several thousand years ago. The Idea that men should be muscular and women should have big breasts in order to look attractive has been norms and staples for societies all over the world for centuries. Just like our surroundings telling us how to behave, the article talks about people having to justify their actions to others. The article states “When the actor sees their action as unjustified, they feel shame.” For example if someone is a homosexual, they might try to hide their sexual preference. This is because society tells us that being gay is wrong, and it is frowned upon.  This idea was first developed in religion. Most of the major religions forbid the act of homosexuality. Since most of the world follows one of the major religions, the vast majority of us don’t look favorably on gays.

            The video we watched about the 3^rd gender was very strange and a bit humorous to me. I couldn’t even begin to comprehend this mixed gender of man and women. While this person may have some good qualities of both genders, in our culture, we would find such a thing horrendous and sick. I also didn’t really know that there was a difference between Gender and Sex. I thought the two were interchangeable. As the video shows, they are clearly two different things. I found the part where the narrator stated “If we need more women in the house, then we take one of the boys and make them a woman” very funny. I can’t imagine my parents telling me something like “Okay son we need another person to take care of your brother so you are now a girl.” While I see this practice as cruel and wrong, if it works for the Samoans, then it’s fine. This topic could lead us into the discussion of how God meant for only two genders, and we are not supposed to just create a third.

            This is similar to our class discussion today where we talked about feminist and women’s rights. We also talked about what feminine characteristics and masculine characteristics are, and how we are starting to integrate both aspects into both genders. While I think some of them are fine, like men crying some times and women participating in sports, I do think there needs to be a separation between the two. If we allow men to take on women’s characteristics, and vice versa we may end up only having one gender. I’m probably exaggerating, and it could actually be a good thing to mix into the other gender’s characteristics. There was an article on Yahoo today about a high school girl in Florida who was one of the top 100 players in the country. Not only is this female playing a male dominated sport, but she is also excelling at it, and was able to throw an 87mph fastball! The best part was that she was willing to cross the boundaries, and venture into something that she might be thought of as less attractive, or more masculine.

            We also did a worksheet this week focusing on the differences between males and females, and how each one comes about. I never really thought of gender as a mindset, but I can see how it kind of is. Girls, for example are taught at a very young age to like Barbie dolls, makeup, and the color pink. Boys are into sports, cars, and electronics. This was apparent in the toysrus activity. I remember when I was ten, my mother made me take piano lessons. I hated the idea and insisted on guitar. I was so resistant because I saw the piano as a feminine instrument, and the guitar was as male an instrument as it got. The article about the looking glass self also talks about how we give reasons to act a certain way. Our society may do things according to the status quo just because they do not want to be seen as different. Erving Goffman talks about how “Self consciousness is involved in using a disclaimer as a shield.” “I often say things like I’m not sure” or “I think”. Similarly when it comes to the status quo, we cannot break it or our shield will break apart and we will take on criticism. The article states that “The large scale systems of justification we call culture emerges with successive generations.” Similarly, our culture cannot be changed, and nor can the way we see gender and Sex. I do believe however that some of our customs are changing. Men are no longer the dominant member of many households. In my house for example, my mother has complete authority, and whatever she says my father must agree with. If we take a vote, I, my brother, and father each have one vote, and my mother has four votes.