1. Masculinity and femininity are concepts that are difficult to define. One problem is trying to keep them separate from the concepts of male and female, which is not easy. The lines between these concepts is blurred for many of us, because we are raised associating femininity with females and masculinity with males. Femininity and masculinity are in many ways societal constructs and many of us will find that we define them the way that society would. When I think of the concept of masculinity some of the properties that come to mind are strength, aggressive, assertive, athletic, and nonverbal. Some of the properties of femininity are emotional, soft, caring, empathetic, and verbal. These are properties that came to mind automatically, without much consideration or thought. They are the properties that I was taught to use when defining femininity and masculinity. However, when looking at these words they are not things that I necessarily would use to define …show more content…
My parents did not raise my brother and I to behave in a certain way based on our biological sex. I played with dolls, like many girls do, but I also played with toy trucks. I loved playing in the dirt and was impossible to keep clean, while my brother hated getting dirty. We both learned to cook and do laundry and we also both learned how to use tools. These experiences have a very big effect on my perception and make me view the concepts very differently than a person that was raised with traditional gender roles. I also cannot tell you what the requirements of masculinity and femininity are, but I can for male and female. While there are certain traits that I may consider to be more feminine or more masculine, but they are not actual requirements of either concept. A car must have doors, but something or someone does not have to have strength or body hair to be
Masculinity and femininity are not restricted to two separate and distinct groups. In reality, they are different within themselves, and similar to each other. It is a well-known stereotype that men are tough and strong with no emotions, while women are weak and need to be supported.
All over the world Masculinity has many different cultural definitions. Depending where someone is from, and what they were brought up to believe, defines what the term “masculinity” entails. Different Social institutions all over the United States, such as the military, sports, clubs, and fraternities, have been constructing their interpretation of masculinity. One major social institution that is active in thousands of Universities across the United States is campus fraternities. Campus fraternities create their own sense of masculinity by generating certain requirements and characteristics a man must hold in order to represent them as a part of their fraternity.
Different from female and male which can describe animals, femininity and masculinity are personal and human. That is femininity refers to qualities and behaviors associated with women and girls and masculinity is manly character, it specifically describes men. Femininity has traditionally included features such as gentleness, patience and kindness. On the contrary, men?s chief qualities are strength, courage and violence.
While we tend to look at the world in a gendered fashion, there are differences in what’s considered masculine and feminine. In addition to varying from person to person, the concepts of masculinity and femininity also vary across time periods, across different cultures, and even across the span of an individual’s life. Kimmel pluralizes these terms to “acknowledge that masculinity and femininity mean different things to different groups of people at different times” (Kimmel; 10). He goes on further to reference sociologist R. W. Connell’s explanation of hegemonic masculinity, which states that it is “constructed in relation to various subordinated masculinities as well as in relation to women” (Kimmel; 10). In an article by Connell, he describes
...guably one violent woman, always wanting to put her hands on someone or something, and very confrontational. The reality is not purely sexually driven, the masculinity of men is natural, inherent unalienable, and the femininity of women is natural, inherent and unalienable. The two forms in and of themselves decide and determine which they will be, for the most part men choose to be masculine naturally, and some do choose outward femininity, and women, choose to be feminine naturally and some do choose to be outwardly masculine. When I have to define the traits between the two, both masculine and feminine, I am relegated to speak based on perception of the two definitive aspects of male and female and none else.
Historically, masculinity in the United States has been constructed as being White Protestant Anglo-Saxon, furthermore heterosexual and in charge of all matters, and this definition sets standards against which other men are measured an evaluated. Michael Kimmel provides a good definition:
In this world, everyone is different and unique, so each person has their own opinion and way of thinking. Therefore, it makes masculinity a very controversy subject to talk about. This subject is so big and has many ways to look at it, so it is difficult to say which opinion is right or which opinion is wrong. Everyone has their own way to think of it, so of course they will have their own supporting story or details to support their argument. Opinions of masculinity are different in everyone and the concepts masculinity is changing over time.
The clusters of social definitions used to identify persons by gender are collectively known as “femininity” and “masculinity.” Masculine characteristics are used to identify persons as males, while feminine ones are used as signifiers for femaleness. People use femininity or masculinity to claim and communicate their membership in their assigned, or chosen, sex or gender. Others recognize our sex or gender more on the basis of these characteristics than on the basis of sex characteristics, which are usually largely covered by clothing in daily life.
Masculinity reflect that power distribution between men and women in organization. Today 21 century still some country has not given same authority to women what men have in corporate. So that men always dominant to women. A high score (men 's) in this activity demonstrates that the overall population will be pushed by the achievement, the acknowledgment and fulfillment, with execution portrayed by the victor / best in the field –its starting from the school and proceeds along the climate of organization. If low score (female) in the scale implies that always dealing with other individuals caring and personal satisfaction and give value them. The analysis on gender basis it’s viewed that Germany has scored 66 male work in organization. It means male has more power, assertiveness and achievement compare to female in
Women and men are allocated to a gender role and we all must act out the masculine or feminine behavior as arranged by our society and our culture. Femininity is usually associated with traits such as emotionality, cautiousness, collaboration, common sense, and fulfillment.
Unfortunately it seems to be a subject that doesn’t get much attention. It is almost as if it is swept under the rug in our society. The idea of gender as we think of it, is solely a social construct, born into existence by the pressure of tradition and the supremacy of the majority. This is true for our perceptions of "masculinity" and "femininity", and this point is driven home in "Bros Before Hos: The Guy Code." Michael Kimmel points out the stereotypes men are taught to believe make them more manly. According to his interviews with various men from all over the country, the male social facade was put upon them by fathers, grandfathers, coaches, older brothers and other significant male role models as young
From birth, society assigns people different roles depending on gender and surrounds them with the expectation to act differently. According to Mead, Some feminine characteristics include depend, passive, quiet, weak, soft, accepting, and graceful. Masculine characteristics include aggressive, clumsy, experienced, strong, active, competitive, and non-emotional. Children learn gender roles at an early age from their family, culture, religion, as well as outsides forces like television, magazines and other media. Adolescents read ads filled with airbrushed, perfect women; girls look...
Another masculine characteristic is to be athletic, have economic success power and possession. Women are seen as objects and not humans. How women are human too and they should be treated the same way as men do. Just because women have different features than they do doesn 't mean they aren 't capable of the same things. You can also see this in the media they go along with the generalization that Society has placed rolls upon women and men. Media has a major effect on how we portray men and women. Our generation is persuaded by media. If a boy or girl acting a certain they want to copy their action. Whatever they see their gender the most common to enforce that it what they can see to the norms for their
Masculinity and femininity are two terms, which have been interpreted differently throughout history. Both the males and the females have responsibilities and duties but these duties differ based on one’s gender. Gender has played a prodigious role in the economy, politics, and the society. Everyone starts making interpretations of the strengths and weaknesses based on one’s gender. These interpretations are not always based on his or her ability but is usually based on his or her gender. Males tend to be judged as extremely strong and unfashionable in terms of appearance. Whereas, females are judged as expensive and very fashionable. Males and females both differ in their abilities and their enjoyments. Fashion, entertainment, and strength are three topics, which are used to define masculinity and femininity in the 21st century.
In elementary school one of the most common phrase used was, “You can’t do that you're a girl.” Society puts gender stereotypes and expectations on children at a very young age. I never really understood these stereotypes and expectations until later in my life. I couldn’t figure out why it was that boys were not allowed to like the color pink, and if the girls wanted to play “boy” sports it was seen as unusual. My family consists of my parents, my sister and I; so I never had sibling of the opposite gender in my life. I didn’t have someone to compare gender differences with. I was given toys no matter what gender they were geared towards. I remember receiving hot wheels cars and baby dolls the same year for Christmas and never thought anything thing of it. I think that these experiences has really shaped who I am today.