¶ … Kimmel, it is gender inequality, rather than gender differences that is the cause of gender differences in men and women. And gender inequality is caused from the earliest age on depending on the specific country and age that we live in. Kimmel is not even sure whether gender inequality, does not exist today. It is thought that it has vanished, yet in many areas, it still seems to be flourishing.
Each of the stories presented illustrate Kimmel's theme and indicate how gender inequality is a substance that has been socially created during a specific epoch and in a special place.
In the "Yellow Wallpaper" (Stetson), you have the horrific story of a woman who became senile due to the way her husband and caretakers treated her. She hated the room, hated the bondage, and hated her 'liberty'. She wanted to write; wanted different furnishings; wanted to get out; wanted to be with her child. Yet her husband -- the all-wise physician -- persisted in treating her in a certain way, calling her 'gosling' and 'little girl' and insisting that writing would be damaging to her health:
If a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression -a slight hysterical tendency -what is one to do?
My brother is also a physician, and also of high standing, and he says the same thing. Personally, I disagree with their ideas. Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good. But what is one to do? (648)
The woman believes that her husband knows what is right… She believes that he cares for her... There may be something wrong with her… All that she can do is fret that she cannot actualize her responsibilities:
I meant to be such a help to John, such a real rest and comfort, and here I am a comparative burden already! Nobody would believe what an effort it is to do what little I am able, -to dress and entertain, and order things. (648)
The woman, brought up in a certain way, treated in a certain way, cannot see beyond that. That is her social reality. In the end, to escape...
Friends, colleagues and family members play a role in the development of one's identity and rank in this case (Humphrey, 2003). Gender is reflected and accomplished within the scope of ordinary routines. In this way people 'do' gender. Gender "socialization" according to Kimmel begins and birth and continues throughout ones life; parents, family, friends, environment all influence gender differences in children (Kimmel, 122). Parents for example may possess ideas of
Gender is a complex concept that varies across cultures and time periods (Butler, 1990). It encompasses a range of biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors that shape individuals' perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors based on perceived sex (West & Zimmerman, 2009). Gender cultural analysis examines how cultural norms, values, and expectations influence the construction of gender roles and identities, as well as their implications for power relations and social inequalities (Connell,
Gender is an institution that people either widely accept as one way or another. Within any given society there are cultural norms that people identify with and that help shape their behaviors, values and beliefs. Gender differences thus can be easily created as an institution and can be representative of inequality when that inequality is supported or constructed by society at large (Kimmel, 2000). Kimmel suggests that inequalities are
Likewise, woman in Saudi Arabia are still suppressed enough that they are not allowed to drive on the road. When recently one Saudi woman rebelled and was jailed and the foreign media raised the issue, the government of Saudi Arabia stood firm by their laws pertaining to female liberties in the face of the international media. 3. Provide an overview of hegemonic masculinity The concept of hegemonic masculinity is a normative
Gender and Sexuality Define sex. The term sex means those characteristics, biological as well as physiological, that define men and women. Sex is better defined by categorizing sexes such as make and females. Major characteristic of sex is that its aspects do not considerably change within different societies. To further explain, specific sex related examples are that women menstruate and have breasts developed capable of lactation. Such characteristics are absent in male
Sociology and Feminist Theories on Gender Studies Postmodern Feminism in "Cherrie Moraga and Chicana Lesbianism" In the article entitled, "Cherrie Moraga and Chicana Lesbianism," author Tomas Almaguer analyzes and studies the dynamics behind Moraga's feminist reading of the Chicano culture and society that she originated from. In the article, Almaguer focuses on three elements that influenced Moraga's social reality as she was growing up: the powerful effect of the Chicano culture, patriarchal
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