Social Construction of Gender and Identity

In today's society, every aspect of someone's day is based on whether or not he or she fits into the norms that have been created by society. Specifically, masculine and feminine norms have a great impact in questioning the image of a true man or woman, and feelings of fitting in. Susan Faludi in The Naked Citadel article discussed it clearly that The Citadel, a public military college focuses on empowering the male students to be the dominant figures. If males are not fulfilling the masculine role, and females are not playing their role, then their gender identity is questioned. According to their personal judgment, as well as gender norms in the college community, cadets are expected to become real men. Norms in The Citadel College are made carefully to change cadets' lives. They recruit new students, and emphasize directly to recreate their gender identity by guiding them to specific gender norms and activities they can do in the college community. Faludi’s demonstration on strict gender norms in cadets’ lives bring a better understanding of gender separation in Iranian society that Azar Nafisi point it out in her memoir “Reading Lolita in Tehran.” Moreover, the social construction of gender and identity is not limited in being a true male or a true female, but also it is about fitting in a specific group of people in society and not being left out. Leila Ahmed in On Becoming an Arab selection demonstrated her experience with her Arab identity throughout her life. As a child, and later as an adult, she is just different and those around her see her differently. Therefore, children are raised so they follow certain guidelines that direct them to a specific gender identity. Parents as part of their parental obligation try to r...

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...y…He was just glad there were no female cadets; otherwise , he said the cadets would have faced ‘a different form of intimidation – not wanting to be embarrassed in front of a girl’” (Faludi 83). Every society throughout history has gone through a number of theatrical revisions of gender roles. Women in most societies have won the right to vote, and they are increasingly employed in high positions in business industries and other organizations. Today, they are often seen in positions of political and economic power. Faludi finds that The Citadel has a long history of treating women this way with less respect and as inferior to men. This attitude toward them is perpetuated in many ways, including over treating but not limited to female cadets. Faludi portrays the cadets in The Citadel as homoerotic, who often act violent and characterize themselves as “whole men”.