Question

Consider your own gender. What do you think it means to be that gender in our society? How did you learn how a man or women should act in our society, or what they should do or be? While you were growing up did you ever feel conflicted about how you thought you should act as a male or a female and how you wanted to act (or what you should do or be)? Please share some of your own experiences with gender role socialization.

Answer 1

• Since I am a woman,obviously its still difficult to be one in the society.
• But,my childhood was heavily influenced by hugely powerful women in my family. My life was split between the loving, supportive, encouraging homes that were made by my mother and my grandmother. I have only just begun to fully grasp the magnitude of their lives. But what I do know is that neither of them allowed the societal definition of “woman” to define their place in life.
• Society over the ages has created an image of woman and man in our minds. And especially women even today are being defined into boxes;the way we should dress,behave and even live. Men still enjoy a upperhand eventhough a lot has changes in terms of women defying stereotypes.
• In my childhood,I was never subject to discrimination with the boys in my house by either my mom,aunt or even my father or grandfather. They always wanted that I should study and make an independent life and never stopped me from doing anything. But,yes some form of patriarachy still was fitnessed in terms of food being served to men first and other small things but it really never conflicted my opinion regarding how I should behave.
• I guess I understand that men and women are different in some way if not completely. Not sounding sexist,but women can definitely take care of the house better and along with their careers as well,they can multitask but some men cant multitask. Also since women are more sensitive and emotional therefore they feel more guilty regarding not being able to give time to their family if they are working. Men definitely are less emotional and more instrumental in their approach. But my upbringing has been very clear regarding how I want to live my life. I have never been defined by my family regarding how to be a woman which clearly the society does today.