Gender as a

social
phenomenon
By: Ashley Thompson

MY background
Growing up, I was a tomboy. I mostly hung with my guy cousins
and older brother playing video games, playing basketball,
riding bikes, go karts, watching WWE etc. I liked doing those
things, they were fun.
However, some of my family (including my cousins and brother
would tell me things like: You cant hang with us, youre a girl
, Act more ladylike , Young ladies dont whistle, close your
legs (even with pants on), and I even had to sleep with my
grandma instead of being able to sleep on the floor with my
cousins when we had sleepovers.

My Influences growing up: Brother &

Cousins

Cont.
I realize when I was a kid my
parents used to enforce
gender norms and stereotypes
without even realizing it.

Gender norms my parents enforced...

Yet they didnt even realize.
Girly clothes (dresses, bows, tights, baby doll shoes)
Barbie dolls
Gender specific video games ( I got a barbie game while my
brother got Mortal Kombat)
Mannerisms ( dont whistle, dont get dirty, cross your legs)
Even colors ( my favorite color is blue, but I mostly got pink
stuff)

How I felt?
At the time, I really didnt think of it as a big deal, just the way
the world was. Now that I know about gender norms, I realize I
was sort of a victim of that. Not to say my parents are bad
people. I had a great childhood, but if i was allowed to be
myself more, maybe I wouldve grown up to be a different
person.
I love who Ive grown to be but sometimes I do wonder.

Gender Differences in Socialization

This video Ive posted the link to shows the social norms that
children grow up learning. Girls learning how to take of the
house, cook, clean, have babies, be soft spoken while boys are
taught to be tough, outspoken, breadwinners for their families.
Where does this leave the inbetweeners?

http://study.com/academy/lesson/understanding-the-impact-of-g
ender-differences-in-social-development.html

Othering
Definition: Othering is a process
that identifies those that are
thought to be different from
oneself or the mainstream, and
it can reinforce and reproduce
positions of domination and
subordination.
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=OrBqj2M_Sqc

How gender affects othering

If youre not with us, youre against us is a simple heuristic people often use to
decide whether someone is part of their tribe or not. If you are, then you can be
expected to toe the line in certain ways if you dont want to be ejected; if youre
not, you can be dismissed and hated as an other, the enemy. Therearenoothers.wordpress.com
Gender norms sort of discredits othering. Basically if you dont behave a
certain way in regards to your gender, youre looked at as weird or ridiculed for
something that you like. I feel like you can have gender with othering as long as
there are no stipulations that go along with them.

How gender affects a persons freedom

and agency

Heres an excerpt from an article called Gender is a Weapon: A

good example of how gender is a social construct is the case of body hair. Think
about peoples reaction to a woman with armpit hair (or a little mustache).
Somehow she is a threat, or shes just unhygienic even though hair naturally
grows there. Isnt it interesting that our concept of the female body is a body that
is shaven? We can conclude that this idea of gender is not based on any real,
natural, biological concept of a gender difference, but rather on patriarchal and
capitalist domination. (Yes, women tend to have less body hair than men, but
some women are harrier than some men.) Why is it that those who transcend
gender categories are such a threat (and therefore a target of violence and
harassment)? Is it because the act of not conforming enough to patriarchal
standards of gender throws a monkey wrench into the systems of control and
domination? Gender is socially constructed based on the idea that gender can be
split simply into two categories and to expose it as otherwise is to undermine
what gender oppression is based on.
http://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/sally-darity-gender-is-a-weapon-coercion-domination-and-self-determination

Cont.
I feel that reinforcing gender norms limits a person's freedom,
especially if its at a young age. That can really confuse a child
who might be a girl that prefers cars and action figures or a boy
that prefers playing with dolls. Some parents may not know
about what their child prefers but others just blatantly ignore
or chastise their children for feeling this way. This can really
affect a persons identity growing up.

Our current situation as women

I hate how women are portrayed in the media and just in
general. Were always looked at as girly, weak women who need
men to take care or rescue them. Almost like with every Disney,
the princess always ends up being saved or taken away from
her situation. I feel like women for the most part are lookedat
as equally but theres still certain aspects that limit us:
I would love to change things but until all women come
together and say This is unfair, things need to change, these
gender stereoypes will continue to prevail.