Myths on Socialization of Men and Women Essay

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Myth About Men and Women

Gender Differences Results from Socialization and Culture

The development of an individual's personal identity is influenced by the socialization process and culture of respective society. The socialization process guides individuals in how they interact with each other. It teaches one on interaction behavior including how to ask, whom to ask, in what circumstance, and the appropriate language and words to use (Devor, 2001). Culture defines the way of doing things and the measures in coming up with norms in the society. In the each and every society, the members ascribed to a particular way of life defined by their culture and taught through a socialization process. The culture and socialization process ensures that members of a society relate to each other in harmony and cohesion. In the society members are socialized to uphold certain norms and adopt specific culture (ways of doing things).

Through the socialization process, an individual is expected to adopt and ascribe to the norms of their respective society for harmonious. By socializing and learning culture, one gains a sense of identity and thus a personality that is defined in terms of socially assigned gender roles. The socialization aspect of bringing up a child will highlight not only the sex anatomy but also social expectations of their respective gender. The members of the society take up the task to teach culture and socialize children in line with their genders and socially expected ways of life. The teaching and socialization process will mold the young to attain unique identities in relation to their genders and social roles. From the socialization process and taught culture, individuals will develop a personal identity and take up different roles as society designs (Devor, 2001).

While sexuality defines the anatomical differences between male and female, gender describes the association of different aspects to the anatomical features. Development of personal traits that yields from gender and development of personal identity starts immediately from birth. Upon determination of a child's sexuality after birth, the society (parents) will give the child a name that conforms to their sex and the cultures they observe. From birth to growing up, the anatomical features are matched up with specific socialization processes that guide the child to learn different roles related to their sexuality (Bebel, 2004).

As the child is growing, they will be seen to have an affection with those who they closely interact with and relate with those they consider their benefactors. As the child develops they will be socialized to associate more with those in their gender cluster group. This association and socialization lead the child to tell eventually and show an understanding of the differences between the gender clusters. Social research has shown that children aged as young as five years are able to recognize their own gender and those of people around them and with accuracy. The determination of the different genders by children is however not through physical anatomy but on the basis of role information. The role information used by a child includes the clothing, hairstyle, and duties performed in the society (Bebel, 2004).

Development of a personal identity begins once a child is able to identify with a particular gender and understand the different roles performed by each gender. With socialization and teachings on cultural attributes, a deeper understanding of the socially accepted norms is afforded thus, guiding a child towards adulthood. By the time an individual matures to adulthood, they will have an understanding of the role and anatomy differences they manifest as male or female. From this development given their respective anatomy, an individual will subsequently take up a role that the society has assigned to them. Socialization and culture influence one's gender identity and perspective in life. Through socialization and culture, an individual realizes their gender and obligation in the society. Gender is thus impacted on an individual depending first on their respective anatomical features to determine their gender cluster and then in relation to the culture of society (Colombo, Cullen, & Lisie B., 2007).

From the above discussions, it is clear that through the teaching of culture and the socialization process, an understanding of the gender differences and roles is comprehended. Suffice to say that gender is the product of socialization and culture and in the absence of either no difference is notable. An individual's personality and their places in society are a product of culture and socialization, and people will play roles that they have been socialized and taught to take. This argument disputes the feminist activists' point-of-view scorning women for remaining silent as society discriminates against.

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Women are incapable of changing their gender-defined roles since they are only taking roles defined by the society through the socialization process.

Aaron Devor argues that our social perspective of gender is only possible through the way society teaches us. The need to conform to the teaching of the society as governed by culture through rewards and punishments ensures gender roles are easily picked. In doing so, one is in harmony with the society and consequently becomes aware of the gender differences and duty to society (Devor, 2001). To resolve the discrimination aspect, the activist on feminism need to interrogate measures of changing socialization process and cultures taught in society.

Women Are the Weaker Sex

In the society, women are considered as a weaker given the way they are raised to be humble in behavior, how they walk and talk in public spheres. Looking at the socially assigned family care role, women are raised such that they can relte with their emotions. This attribute affords women an opportunity to undertake their social role of care to the family by showing concern being in touch more with the emotions of their family members and extending emotional support to them. For their role in the society, women are expected to be caring and concerned about other people's welfare. To be able to undertake their role as caring persons at home women need to be in touch with their emotions. The hurting member of the family also needs to find confidence in confiding to the woman. To be able to undertake this role girls are socialized to be aware of their emotions and be able to contain them. For a woman to show concern and at the same time take measure to comfort the hurting person or avail a solution it is not an easy task. This is a display of strength through emotional control (Colombo et al., 2007).

Women need to relate emotionally with children in order to be able to bring them up. The need for a caring touch in the family comes in handy especially when sibling rivalry is presented in the family scenario. The woman will need to step in and attend to the differences manifested in a caring manner as to prevent the occurrence of secondary violence or injury. When there is tension between husband and wife, the situation may require emotional control from either party. In the case of women, they are the best suited to control their emotions and prevent escalation of tension. During their upbringing girls are taught to control their emotions and allow for a little tear as a means to release tension and show submission. This helps in upholding harmony at homes and extending care to those who need it (Colombo et al., 2007).

In the upbringing of boys, it is considered a sign of weakness to show emotion in public. Men are expected to be the sense of strength, and their display of emotion is highly discouraged since it will reflect a sign of weakness. To the society, display of emotions is only left for the women. Given the role that boys were being prepared to take up in society, they are required to display strength in their personality, and an unchallenged resolved to face challenges courageously. In the event that a man shows weakness, the family's confidence in the security the man is tasked to offer is lost.

In raising women during socialization, the society is seen to give more restrictions to the girl child and fewer restrictions to the boy child. The girl is prepared to take up a role in family care by doing this only as instructed by their men. The girl is given instruction on how to talk to men, sit amongst men and even walk. Girls are also taught the virtues of tolerance to making them prone to abuse.

The society has also raised women to appreciate that their body do not have the requisite tolerance to withstand pressures men undergo through manual activities. In the scenario that women are socialized to be humble, respectful, obedient and graceful in the walk, they tend to yield a weaker personality in relation to their counterpart the men.

The differences that prevail in bring up men and women present such disparity in the personality results in masculinity. It is, however, notable, women are taught to remain humble, and obedient. In terms of transferring quality….....

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