Gender Identity

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Gender is a made up construct of society. Not all societies have the constructs of gender, some societies even recognize a third gender. Gender, as defined by The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, is “Sex is the biological category, whereas gender is the culturally shaped expression of sexual difference: the masculine way in which men should behave and the feminine way in which women should behave” (Blackburn2008). We all have our own identity, which is defined by The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science and Medicine, as “The perception of self that develops as a child differentiates from parents and family and takes a place in society” (Kent2006). So when referencing gender identity, we are asking how one views themselves through society’s predetermined genders, which in the US are just male and female. I identify as a female, and have since I can remember. I do not remember there being a defining moment, telling me that I was in female or that I identified as a female. I just always accepted where society had placed me, though it is not always so clear cut for people.
Our culture is what makes us who we are. Our culture is constantly changing and evolving with the new information and environments we are subject to. Our culture makes up our values, norms and beliefs, all of which tell us who we are. In its simplest form culture can be broken down to levels. The broadest level being international and the most limited level being individual. The individual level is just how we take in and personally process the information, because we all process things differently. The next level up would be our subcultures, these are the cultures for different economic statues, rural versus urban cities, different levels of education, and more. T...

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Blackburn, S.(2008). gender. In The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy. : Oxford University Press. Retrieved 9 May. 2014, from http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199541430.001.0001/acref-9780199541430-e-1352.
Kent, M.(2006). identity. In The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine. : Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 May. 2014, from http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198568506.001.0001/acref-9780198568506-e-3372.
Ross, A.(2004). Gender Roles. In The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. : Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 May. 2014, from http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195154375.001.0001/acref-9780195154375-e-0350.

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