Gender And Communication

In response to what we have discussed thus far in Interpersonal Communication, I would like to further explore the idea of gender in the interpersonal communication arena. As was said in class, ”gender influences cultural perspectives.” Gender also influences how we view ourselves in society. On the flip side, I’ve seen how society can mold the way we label ourselves in terms of gender.

The well-known concepts of masculinity and femininity run rampant in our society. We live in a world where men are told to be masculine, women are told to be feminine and those who do not do as they are told, will suffer the societal consequences.

The philosophy of masculinity supports the idea that men must be strong. They must show very little emotion, have a career and ultimately be a “breadwinner.” Men must be muscular and protect the “weaker” sex from harm. Though many of these traits are wonderful to have, realistically speaking, very few men will ever possess enough masculinity to feel worthy of being a man in our society. This truth leaves most men chasing an illusory goal of attaining a masculine identity. Most men will take every opportunity to show their masculinity and to declare to the world that they are indeed a “real” man. This fact is evident when men gather in a bar. The beer’s going down, testosterone is pumping through the veins, and the motto is, “I ain’t takin’ nothin’ from nobody.” Most males are looking for a b...