We participate in societal norms that divide the world into ways that serve some people’s interest over others (Katz 87), and I find that it is crucial to examine our own lives to realize how we do so. We either support, reject, rebel against, challenge, question, or uphold societal norms through the decisions we make from how we interpret situations to how we interact with others. A large part of how we participate in this system comes from how we have been socialized. According to Howard and Alamilla (2016), socialization tells us that “we learn what behavior is appropriate to our gender, race, class, age, and sexuality from our environment through various learning processes” (p. 166). We uphold how we have been socialized when we refuse …show more content…
At my high school, the heteronormative hook-up culture that heavily promoted masculinity through sexual behavior, resulting in a double standard between women and men. Dude, You’re a Fag cites Renold: “students participate in a ‘heterosexualizing process’ in which children present themselves as ‘normal’ girls or boys through discourses of heterosexuality” (p. 26). As so much of what we do in high school is to impress others, or to at least appear to be in the norm to avoid insults or social exclusion, the majority of my peers (and myself) tried hard to fit in and abide by the norms. Popularity for the guys was very much based on frequency of sexual behavior and “attractiveness” of the girl they had been intimate with. Pascoe points out that “boys and girls engage in interactional rituals to achieve masculine identities, which are, in large part, based in similar homophobic and heterosexualizing processes” (p. 28). This very much describes the ways in which we interacted with one another at my high school. Conversely, the more people women were sexual with, the more social backlash they received. According to Stombler and Baunach (2014), men who are very sexually active are generally not subject to shame and sometimes lauded for sexual behavior, whereas women with “too many” partners are stigmatized (p. 71). While men are socialized to present their masculinity through sexuality, women grow up learning about all the negative consequences of sexuality. Nestle’s My Mother Liked to Fuck highlights the social consequences that come along with being a woman who is open about enjoying having sex (1983). Such consequences include harsh judgement, social exclusion, and even rape. Lorde’s The Uses of the Erotic present that sexualty is something women are taught to hide (2016). I can recall being told I was a “slut” for making out with someone and sleeping on the same couch
In the article “An Anthropological Look at Human Sexuality” the authors, Patrick Gray and Linda Wolfe speak about how societies look at human sexuality. The core concept of anthology is the idea of culture, the systems of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors people acquire as a member of society. The authors give an in depth analysis on how human sexuality is looked at in all different situations.
The Cycle of Socialization by Bobbie Harro gives an accurate description how social norms are created in society, and how we learn them and the consequences of not abiding by the norms. The social norms and identities that we picked are heavily influenced by what family we are born into. Growing my mother would always enforce to my twin sister and I that items such as clothes, toys, or school supplies we’re assigned to different genders based on their color. Whenever my sister wanted something that was the color blue, or black she would tell my sister that it was meant for boys because of it had dark colors and would insist her to find something that had a lighter color. This influenced my sister and I a lot because still to this day whenever I buy clothes or any other item I rarely
This chapter examines the socialization process that occurs to members of different groups of society which leads to social control or manipulation of members for the good or bad of society. Eitzen, Zinny & Smith discuss the major themes of social control and how they shape and enforce the conformity of others. The authors discuss how the pressures of social control either by law or society norms can cause great influence on members of society. However, the authors advise the reader that although people tend to conform to society influences, they do so not out of fright, but rather, because it is a choice they are willing to make. In other words members of society seem to prefer to go along with the majority because they prefer the predictability
All of a sudden, I found myself thinking sociologically when I got home for summer vacation, after completing my first year of college. At this time, I received the news that my parents were separating after celebrating 23 years of marriage. Of course this was shocking news to hear, but I knew there was more to the divorce than my parents falling out of love. At this time I began taking an online class called, “Sociology of Human Sexuality”. The readings that were given in this class discussed divorce issues in the United States and every other country. The textbook, Understanding Human Sexuality had provided insight on reasons for divorce; that discussed kids leaving moving out, high divorce rate and even couples getting married too young. While
Hooking up has essentially become a social norm in today’s society. Hooking up is almost second nature to adolescents and college students (Armstrong, Accounting for Women’s...) When comparing female standards of hooking up to the male standard it is repeatedly proven that women are judged much more harshly than the average man. Other studies find women’s sexual pleasure is heightened in long term relationships and women are expected to perform sexual acts that society has deemed okay, but men are not expected to return the favor(in the eyes of society.) In today’s society social norms have given women different morals than men and given women different outlooks and expectations of sex.
“Patterns of behaviour taught to children and adults in order to help them learn to behave as acceptable females or males. It begins at birth via naming, clothing, and treatment of the infant, and it continues to be taught and reinforced throughout life within most social institutions” (Online Learning Centre, 2003). The main agents of socialisation includ...
Sexual objectification refers to the way in which a person sexually reduces another by treating them as a mere sex object (Halwani). Sexual objectification is rarely referred to as a benign topic, though throughout this evaluation, an enlightened, thou broad range of opinions are discussed emphasising the ambiguity of the term in relation to the morality of sexual objectification. Halwani’s definition only embraces ‘treatment’ and or the ‘behavioural’ aspects of sexual objectification, nevertheless Halwani recognises that the process by which someone is sexually objectified occurs most frequently throughout the following scenarios: During casual sex, as the parties desire nothing more than the others body party, essentially their sexual parts. When we look at naked pictures of people and become intrigued by their sexual aspects. Engaging in pornography, as the material already objectifies it’s actors as models (Halwani). Perving on a person’s bodily features such a “her booty” as he or she walks by. Catcalling, by reducing the person solely to their physical appearances and lastly, fantasising about someone, as it objectifies them solely on their physical appearances and can in turn symbolise men or women holistically (Halwani, 2010, pp 186). Allowing for a broader discussion in relation to when sexual objectification is morally permissible (if ever), idea’s constructed by Immanuel Kant, Martha Nussbaum and David Soble are broadly evaluated in order to construct when sexual objectification is permissible.
Unlike sex, the history of sexuality is dependant upon society and limited by its language in order to be defined and understood.
According to Johnny Weir, “Masculinity is what you believe it to be... [it is] all by perception, [I believe] masculinity and femininity is something that is very old-fashioned... [there is a] whole new generation of people who aren’t defined by their race or their sex or who they like to sleep with.” This statement exemplifies the definition of gender as a concept; gender is the expectations of a sex according to the culture of society. Sexuality, within this definition of gender, reflects society’s expectations, which are created in relation to the opposite sex. The variances between cultures means that gender expectations change within different cultures. These expectations put pressure on each member of society to conform and abide by the folkways of their own culture. The creation of gender expectations by society creates a restricting definition of gender roles and sexuality that vary from culture to culture.
From birth, one's sexuality is shaped by society. Cultures institute behaviors that are to be seen as the societal norms, which work to constantly reinforce societal expectations of how genders should act in relation to one another. Although some may argue that one's sexuality is an innate characteristic resulting from genetic makeup, there is a large amount of evidence pointing to its social construction instead. Through the power differences between males and females, established gender roles, and drastic economic shifts, society establishes sexuality and reinforces the behaviors that are expected of its citizens.
The cycle of socialization is a process through which social identities are created, and in effect, each individual represents and is affected by their social identity. According to the cycle of socialization, the first stop in the socialization process is outside of one’s control—one is socialized even before they are born. Our social identities are predetermined, and we are born in a world with roles, rules, and assumptions already in place. Our family and role models teach these rules and roles to us, for they are the shapers of expectations, values, and norms. The first step in the cycle of socialization is directly related to mental models. In the beginning of the socialization process, we are taught certain rules and roles to follow. Ultimately, we are taught how to act by our families who raise us, which shapes our mental models. At a young age, my mom dressed me in dresses and put me in dance classes. My girl friends and I were all expected to take dance lessons and to enjoy playing house with each other. My dad taught my brothers when they were young to act tough and to play sports like football and hockey. During my childhood, I never questioned my parents. I enjoyed doing what “girls are supposed to do,” and I felt comfortable doing what all the other girls were doing in my school. I agree that parents are responsible for socializing their children and they have a huge influence on how we act our gender and our social roles. As a result, our mental models, which shape how we act, are created and enforced at a young age. Socialization is reinforced throughout our lifetime not only through our parents and teachers, but also through the messages from institutions and our culture.
Gender has been around throughout history; however, within recent years, gender has separated itself from the traditional view of sex, e.i., male or female, and has become centered on ones masculinity or femininity. Of course gender is more than just ones masculinity or femininity, gender has become a way for one to describe, he or she, in a way in which they are different from everyone else. Gender has turned into a sense of identity, a way for one to feel different and fulfilled among all of those around them. Of course gender’s sense of freedom would seem outside of structure and only affected by one’s own agency, however, structure is a key component in establishing gender. We can look into both ethnic Mexican’s culture practices regarding sexuality, children songs and games, and see that cultural traditions still heavily influence gender, creating what is masculine and what is feminine and what is the role of each gender, as well as challenging the notions that gender is solely based on agency.
Throughout Western civilization, culturally hegemonic views on gender and sexuality have upheld a rigid and monolithic societal structure, resulting in the marginalization and dehumanization of millions of individuals who differ from the expected norm. Whether they are ridiculed as freaks, persecuted as blasphemers, or discriminated as sub-human, these individuals have been historically treated as invisible and pushed into vulnerable positions, resulting in cycles of poverty and oppression that remain prevalent even in modern times. Today, while many of these individuals are not publicly displayed as freaks or persecuted under Western law, women, queer, and intersexed persons within our society still nonetheless find themselves under constant
Gender and sexuality can be comprehended through social science. Social science is “the study of human society and of individual relationships in and to society” (free dictionary, 2009). The study of social science deals with different aspects of society such as politics, economics, and the social aspects of society. Gender identity is closely interlinked with social science as it is based on an identity of an individual in the society. Sexuality is “the condition of being characterized and distinguished by sex” (free dictionary, 2009). There are different gender identities such as male, female, gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual that exists all around the world. There is inequality in gender identities and dominance of a male regardless of which sexuality they fall under. The males are superior over the females and gays superior over the lesbians, however it different depending on the place and circumstances. This paper will look at the gender roles and stereotypes, social policy, and homosexuality from a modern and a traditional society perspective. The three different areas will be compared by the two different societies to understand how much changes has occurred and whether or not anything has really changed. In general a traditional society is more conservative where as a modern society is fundamentally liberal. This is to say that a traditional society lists certain roles depending on the gender and there are stereotypes that are connected with the genders. One must obey the one that is dominant and make decisions. On the other hand, a modern society is lenient, It accepts the individual’s identity and sexuality. There is no inequality and everyone in the society is to be seen as individuals not a part of a family unit...
In today’s society things are being expressed and experienced at younger ages, than ever before in our time. Children and teenagers are discovering their sexuality at very early ages. Sexuality is the discovering of who you are and what makes you different from everybody else.