Binary Gender System Essay

Today the social construct of gender we see in Western society consists of two genders: men and women. The binary gender system has strict, set roles and expectations for presentation of gender, activities appropriate for each gender, and especially sexualities. The social construct of a strict binary gender system creates and enforces strict binary contradicting roles for sexuality through gender roles and norms that oppress everyone who does not conform and oppresses any other non-conforming sexualities. Viewing gender as something one must always adhere to and play the role of creates a view of set sexualities for people. For example, men are expected and allowed to be sexually promiscuous while women are not and face slut shaming, harassment,

In “Dude, You’re a Fag,” multiple boys that were interviewed said they “didn’t like gay people” and were disgusted by gay men but lesbians were “good” (Pascoe). These boys only viewed female homosexuality as “good” because of its place in the heterosexual male fantasy and not because they approved of homosexuality as a legitimate and accepted sexuality (Pascoe). The binary gender system creates a male dominated society that allows for only female homosexuality to exist because even through it goes against the strict normative heterosexuality it can still be a source of pleasure for men. Male homosexuality, however, is not accepted because in a male dominated world it is associated with not being masculine. Through the use of the slur “fag,” people demean and emasculate boys and men (Pascoe). The use of “fag” against someone does not imply that they are homosexual; instead, Pascoe’s study and interview of high school age boys shows that it is used to say that a person is not masculine and therefore not conforming to their gender roles. Even though women can be sexually fluid and have intimate relationships with other women, it is not viewed as legitimate sex because there is no penis involved. Women are allowed by society to have sex with whomever they want, as long as they are still able to perform their gender role as wives and birth givers. In contrast, in