Gender

 



After reading Judith Butler's "Proformative Acts and Gender Constitution" article it made me think about the role in which gender plays in our lives. It makes me wonder if gender is something that we as a society have defined or are we defining it by our biological bodies. I am of the opinion that our society has created what gender is. We set gender roles from a young age just with color. We expect that if a women is pregnant and having a male that the color associated is blue and if she is having a female that the color is pink. Our society tells us that girls play with barbies and guys play with action figures. This also goes with the way both men and women dress. Our society tells us that if women do not wear ball gowns and dresses and rather tries to wear a suit they are less of a women. This makes me so frustrated as and article of clothing, a color or even a toy should not define what is more "manly" or "womanly". America has put way to much emphasis on this type of narrative. It is so ingrained to the culture that we are needing to have the discussion of weather gender is something we created or it is just what we are born with. It is so bleared that no one really knows the true answers. I think it is our job to help change the conversation and break down the gender roles that we have placed on people for so many years. I think that blue can be for a girl or a boy and the same with pink and that a suit and tie can look just as amazing on a women as it does a man. If we can stop judging women or men who want to wear a suit or tie or a dress and just accept that no matter what sex you are born with that clothing does not define your gender rather you define your gender and have the power to express that how you want. Our society needs to accept that. For many years and still today there is a stigma around how people choose to dress. The way i see it is who cares what someone is wearing. No one is forcing you to wear something that you do not feel comfortable and confident in so let people be who they want to be and allow them to express that in any form they want to. I think that it is going to take our world a while until we can really break down the long ingrained gender norms but I think that it is possible and I hold out hope that eventually we will be able to come together as a whole and accept everyone for who they are regardless of gender and sex. 

Comments

  1. Bri BlakeOctober 21, 2020 at 8:48 AM

    Hi Mary!
    I think you make some really great points. I also think that society plays such a major role in the way that we define gender. I think it is so stupid how the clothes that a person wears will be perceived by others as a way to express gender. It just does not make any sense to me why it matters. Who cares what article of clothing a person wears? Who cares if that article of clothing is not typically worn by the gender that the person is? There are way bigger issues than worrying about what clothes a person wears, what toy a child plays with, and what someone's favorite color is.
    I do think it is interesting though the way that society does impact gender and what we deem as "manly" or "feminine." I was watching a video the other day and it was discussing the many ways that things have changed over time. There are so many things that we now deem are meant for one gender, when initially it was created for the other. I think it just goes to show how society can steer us in whatever way it chooses. Some examples are how heels were initially created for men. Male aristocrats would wear them to feel taller and appear more powerful. There are many instances throughout history in which men would wear makeup. These were the wealthy and powerful men. Crop tops used to be such a big thing for men, especially athletes and bodybuilders. It was a way for them to show off their physiques without going shirtless. I just thought that was a fascinating video and your post made me think of it. I do think that gender norms/roles are stupid and that there is no real reason for them. A person should be able to do what they want, wear what they want, and enjoy what they want without society and others forcing them to conform because what they are doing does not align with their gender.

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